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Sergeant Alexander G. Downing, Company E, 
Eleventh Iowa Infantry, Third Brigade, 
"Crocker's Brigade," Sixth Division of the 
Seventeenth Corps, Army of the Tennessee. 

AUGUST 15, 1861— JULY 31, 1865 



EDITED BY 

OLYNTHUS B. CLARK, Ph. D. 

Professor of History, Drake University 



/7-A73Y/ 



DES MOINES 

THE HISTORICAL DEPARTMENT OF IOWA 

1916 



El 501 



COPYRIGHT APPLIED FOR 

D. of D, 
AUG 27 1917 



PRINTED AND BOUND BV 

THE HOMESTEAD PRINTING COMPANY 

DES MOINES 



INTRODUCTION. 

Of the larger phases of the Civil War the Historical De- 
partment of Iowa has a library of published volumes quite 
replete. Of the official relations, civil and military, of our State 
to the Federal Government we have in our collections an ade- 
quate deposit. But of the proofs of the workings of the heart 
about the hearthstones of Iowa, where a son and support of 
a household is undergoing conversion into the volunteer sol- 
dier of the Republic, there is a lack. 

The American Volunteer soldier of the Civil War — North 
and South — was in his day the most admired of all time for his 
soldierly qualities. For his convertability after Sumter from 
civil life into an effective soldier; and after Appomattox into 
a better citizen. 

How were the best elements of the Citizen preserved 
throughout years in the ranks, and how was the good in the 
ranks carried back into life at peace? Where were the currents 
which blew a life out from the haven of home upon the sea 
of war and upon that part of such a sea which bore the stand- 
ard of national as against state sovereignty? Whence came 
the poise in action and on march, which made of an Iowa boy 
the veteran soldier upon which Grant relied even in the major 
responsibilities of a great war? 

Of Iowa soldiery in the ranks the intimate accounts are 
especially meager. The men who served in the nth, 13th, 
14th and 15th Infantry were as conspicuous for valor as were 
those of the other notable Iowa regiments, and in addition 
were privileged to be together from Shiloh to the Grand Re- 
view under the designation of "Crocker's Iowa Brigade." The 
history of that Brigade is well preserved yet there is lacking 
that hearthstone phase of it all which has its secret and sacred 
appeal to the ordinary mind. 

Such a lack as to written sources did not always exist, for 
letters flew to and from the front which bore the individual 

I. 



and the collective story. There were almost as many diaries 
as testaments in the knapsacks of the boys. There was uni- 
versal written appeal and response, of hope and of prayer, be- 
tween the boy at the front and the family at home. It was such 
that Lincoln had in mind when he said : 

"The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield 
and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this 
broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, 
as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature." 

The Curator of the Historical Department of Iowa assumes 
the full responsibility for publishing such a record and of say- 
ing that evidences of such Iowa "chords" are both rare and 
necessary. 

The diary of Alexander G. Downing, Co. E, Eleventh Regi- 
ment Iowa Volunteers is one of the most precious of contribu- 
tions toward supplying this lack. It is published out of respect 
for frequent calls upon the Department for such materials, and 
with a degree of pride that it could have been done under the 
appreciative and efficient editorial oversight of Dr. O. B. Clark. 

EDGAR R. HARLAN, Curator. 



II. 



PREFACE. 

In presenting Downing's Civil War Diary to the public, the 
editor wishes to set forth the exact nature and character of 
the work. In the first place it should be said that it is not a 
verbatim reproduction of the original text. This statement 
no doubt is enough, according to the accepted tenets of his- 
torical criticism, to condemn the work without further consid- 
eration ; no attempt will be made by argument or brief to 
defend so gross a breach of the historical sense. However, a 
brief description of the original diary and an account of its 
publication in its present form, may both justify the course 
pursued and explain the true character of the published diary. 

The original diary with other papers and commissions of 
Mr. Alexander G. Downing have been presented to the histori- 
cal Department of Iowa, at Des Moines. The diary consists of 
two small note-books, one containing the daily entries from 
August 15, 1861, to the close of 1862; the other from the be- 
ginning to the end of 1863; a larger note-book for the year 
1864; several large sheets of writing paper, dated and num- 
bered consecutively, from January 1, 1865, down to the mus- 
tering out of the young veteran and his return to the harvest 
field in July of that year. 

Another manuscript of the diarist must be mentioned as a 
step in the evolution of this published diary. Upon learning 
of the existence of the diary, the present editor suggested to 
Mr- Downing the desirability of preserving it in printed form. 
With characteristic modesty he responded that certain friends 
had urged the same, but that it was hardly worth it, and in 
any event he meant first to re-write it as it was not in shape to 
be printed. He thereupon set for himself the task of re-writing 
his diary and completed the work in the early months of 
1914. This revised diary together with the original he then 
delivered to Curator Harlan for preservation, at the same time 
expressing the wish that if his diary were ever published, it 

III. 



should be the revision rather than the original. In fact he 
felt that with the revision the original was no longer of use, 
and it was only through Mr. Harlan's sympathetic interest and 
earnest solicitation that Mr. Downing consented to its preser- 
vation. Arrangements were at once entered into by Mr. Down- 
ing and Mr. Harlan for the undersigned to edit the diary for 
publication. 

This revised manuscript is a faithful piece of work, neatly 
bound, which by accurate transmission, omission and amenda- 
tion, is a most worthy effort at writing "the truth, the whole 
truth, and nothing but the truth," of a soldier's experience, 
after the lapse of fifty years. But it will readily be seen that 
there was a fundamental problem to solve before entering 
upon the work of preparing the diary for publication, viz. ; how 
to make use of both the original and the revised manuscripts. 
It was finally determined to edit the original diary and draw 
upon the revision for such additional matter as would serve to 
enrich the simple, crude, but manifestly faithful fact-presenta- 
tion of the original and so construct the material that the 
reader might have the advantage, without confusion, of Mr. 
Downing's reflections of fifty years upon his original writing. 
In doing this it was necessary to re-write the diary. Great 
care has been exercised so as not to obscure the diarist's point 
of view and change the spirit in which he originally wrote. 
The method thus adopted has had from the first the full ap- 
proval of Mr. Downing. 

There were entries in the original which Mr. Downing 
regarded of no consequence, others which he thought improper 
and which he consequently omitted from his revision. But all 
such, with his consent, have been religiously included in this 
volume. On the other hand, some things which he wrote in the 
revision have either been omitted entirely or excluded from 
the body of the text and placed as footnotes or included in 
the appendix. This is particularly the case with such reminis- 
cent or explanatory statements which in their nature could not 
have been in a diary, or which would tend to discredit the 
work as a record of fact. The work is thus preserved as a 
diary. Only such material from the revision has been drawn 
upon as would clear up facts and make the whole more reada- 

IV. 



ble. It is thought that the added descriptions and experiences 
give a more perfect picture of the routine life of a Civil War 
soldier, and yet in no way change the recorded events and the 
currents of feeling. 

The original diary was written, much of it, under the rather 
unfavorable conditions and trying circumstances, attending the 
hurry and excitement of war. Often the diarist was unable for 
several days, or even in a few instances for a week at a time, to 
set down the daily entries. Sometimes he would jot down the 
barest facts in a "sort of short-hand fashion," as Madison says 
of his "Journal," and then when he found respite from his 
duties, would more fully write out the entries. This he makes 
known to us when home on his furlough in the spring of 1864. 
After reaching home and being shut in upon a rainy day, he 
takes the opportunity, as he says, "to bring my diary down to 
date." Some portions of the original were much better written 
than others, a good example being the movements during the 
siege of Vicksburg, as will be seen by observing the facsimile 
page for June 7, 8 and 9, 1863, opposite page 120. The spelling 
is quite original and the writing somewhat shy in punctuation, 
capitalization and the use of words. Of these shortcomings in 
his diary, the author, Mr. Downing, was quite conscious, and 
on that account was unwilling to have it published in the orig- 
inal form. 

This printed edition then, lays no claim to being what it is 
not, the publication of the original text without change. It is 
an edited edition which retains to the fullest possible degree 
the original in the essentials of fact and spirit. That this is so, 
is due to the fact that the editor had the valuable aid of the 
diarist himself. Every daily entry has had the approval of 
Mr. Downing as to matters of fact and of feeling. Every item 
has been cast in terms and point of view of the original writer. 
Thus there is preserved the spirit and thought of the youth 
who tho he had little opportunity for schooling beyond the 
merest rudiments, and handicapped in giving expression to his 
vision, he nevertheless wrote from the highest sense of per- 
sonal honor, duty, and moral courage. These characteristics 
crop out all thru the diary. One reads with the feeling that this 
boy is a truthful and reliable witness. 

V. 



In the preparation of the manuscript for publication, the 
editor wishes to express his great appreciation to Mr. Down- 
ing for his patient help and appreciative concern, without 
which the task would have been difficult indeed and the com- 
pleted volume of far less value. The editor also wishes to 
acknowledge the valuable assistance of Mr. Edgar R. Harlan, 
Curator of the Historical Department of Iowa, both in his wise 
counsel as to the general plan and his critical reading of the 
proof sheets. Acknowledgment is due Miss Ida M. Hunting- 
ton, Assistant Curator, for her scholarly criticism in reading 
the manuscript. 

The editor feels that for a work of its kind, it is as worthy 
as it is rare and entertains the hope that it will be received 
as a valuable contribution to the literature of the Civil War. 
The author of the original diary is deserving of high praise 
for his foresight and conscientious work in setting down what 
he saw, what he experienced, and what he thought as a youth- 
ful participant in that memorable struggle. 

O. B. C. 



Des Moines, Iowa, March 31, 1916. 



VI. 



CONTENTS 



Reminiscent Note 3 

Chapter I. Enlisting in the United States Service 4 

II. In Camp McClellan 12 

III. The Mobilization at Benton Barracks 18 

IV. In Winter Quarters and Garrison Duty 22 

V. Mobilization at Pittsburg Landing and the 

Battle of Shiloh 36 

VI. The Battles in and Around Corinth 46 

VII. On Guard at Bolivar, Tennessee 60 

VIII. The Battles of Inka and Corinth. Chasing 

Price and Fortifying Corinth 68 

IX. The Campaign Around Holly Springs and 

Retreat to Lafayette, Tennessee 80 

X. The Vicksburg Campaign. Siege and Sur- 
render of Vicksburg 94 

XI. The Campaign Against Jackson, Mississippi 127 

XII. On Guard at Vicksburg and the Fruitless 

Expedition to Monroe, Louisiana 132 

XIII. A Siege of Fever and Ague. Fortifying 

and Patrolling Vicksburg 141 

XIV. Re-enlisting as Veterans 156 

XV. The Expedition to Meridian, Mississippi 165 

" - XVI. Home on Veteran's Furlough 173 

XVII. Mobilization at Cairo and Moving Forward 

to Join Sherman 182 

XVIII. The Battles Around Atlanta. In the Field 

Hospital 195 

XIX. In the Hospital at Rome, Georgia. Re- 
ports from the Front 205 

XX. Rejoining the Eleventh Iowa at Atlanta 

and the Pursuit of Hood 217 

XXI. Marching Through Georgia. Capture of 

Savannah 227 

XXII. Raid Through South Carolina 244 

XXIII. March Through North Carolina. The Last 

Campaign. Johnston's Surrender to Sher- 
man 260 

XXIV. Peaceful March Through Virginia and the 

Grand Review at Washington 271 

XXV. The Mustering Out. Return to the Har- 
vest Field 279 

Appendix 291 

Index 310 



REMINISCENT INTRODUCTORY NOTE. 

During the months of July and August, 1861, the country was 
greatly aroused over the prospects of war. Excitement rose 
high when the news of the battle of Bull Run, July 21st, was 
flashed over the wires. I was then almost 19 and living at home 
on a farm near Inland, Cedar county, Iowa. Naturally I was 
deeply stirred over the question of war. Some of our neigh- 
bors and friends had earlier opposed the use of force in prevent- 
ing secession, but I distinctly remember that my father and many 
neighbors and friends entertained no doubt as to the righteous- 
ness of such a course. 

During these days we were at work in the harvest field. We 
had finished cutting our wheat and oats and during the first two 
weeks of August were engaged in stacking the grain. Every- 
one had some part in the work. Father did the stacking, while 
John was on the stack with him, placing the sheaves at his right 
hand. Albert and George drove the teams to and from the fields, 
while Paul and Andrew attended to watering the stock during 
the day. 1 Tom Toly, a strong Irishman, who had worked for us 
three or four summers, pitched the sheaves to father from the 
wagon, and Dave Cole pitched the sheaves from the shocks in 
the field to me on the wagon, while I arranged them on the load. 

There had been some talk of raising a company of troops at 
Inland, but nothing had come of it. At Tipton, the county 
seat, a company of one hundred men was raised when the first 
call for volunteers was made. But as they were not then needed, 
they went out under the call of July 23, 1861, and became Com- 
pany A of the Fifth Iowa Infantry. 

I had been pondering in my mind the matter of going to join 
the army. On the evening of Saturday, August 10th, news 
came of the battle of Wilson's Creek, and that General Lyon had 
been killed. The First Iowa Infantry was in that battle and 
made glorious history for itself and for Iowa. That fact, with 
the excitement over the battle itself, stirred us boys in the neigh- 

a The five boys, John, Albert, George, Paul and Andrew, are Mr. 
Downing's half-brothers. They are all living at this time (.March, 1916) 
and all reside in Iowa. — Ed. 



4 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(August, 1861) 

borhood, and I practically reached a decision as to what I should 
do. 

The next day was Sunday, and everybody was talking about 
the battle of Wilson's Creek. Ministers spoke of it in their ser- 
mons and prayers. It was the all-important topic of the day, 
and for the next three days — the 12th, 13th and 14th of August, 
it was the topic of conversation while we were finishing our work 
in the harvest field. On the next day, my birthday, I began my 
diary and shall now let it speak. 

A. G. D. 



THE DIARY. 

Chapter I. 
Enlisting in the United States Service. 

Thursday, 13th — We capped our grain stacks against rain and 
windstorms, and then commenced mowing wild grass for hay. 
This is my birthday ; am nineteen years old. 

Friday, 16th — I, with Tom Toly, mowed grass all day. Swing- 
ing the scythe was hard work for me and I did not cut as wide 
a swath as Tom did. Father went to Tipton in the afternoon and 
upon his return told us the war news. I am thinking some of 
enlisting and going to war. 

Saturday, 17th — I mowed grass all forenoon and in the after- 
noon went to a Sunday school celebration down at Posten's Grove. 
I made up my mind to enlist and go and fight our Southern breth- 
ren. In the evening I went to Mr. Willey's to stay all night with 
Ward. Later in the evening we attended a peace meeting at In- 
land. 

Sunday, 18th — This morning attended the Methodist church 
and Sunday school at Posten's Grove. Several Methodist breth- 
ren were received into the church. In the afternoon Mr. Whar- 
ton, the minister, delivered a patriotic speech and spoke of the 
war. He then called for volunteers and I put my name down to 
go for three years or during the war. About fifty-five boys en- 
listed and we are to go in Company E of the Eighth Iowa. 



ENLISTING IN THE UNITED STATES SERVICE 5 

(August, 1861) 

Monday, 19th — I helped haul and stack hay this forenoon, and 
in the afternoon went to Inland with the other boys who enlisted 
yesterday, to see about going to Camp McClellan, at Davenport. 

Tuesday, 20th — I went early this morning to Inland, where all 
who enlisted were to meet and go to Davenport. 1 Several of 
the friends came in to see us off. There were forty-five of us 
and at 9 o'clock we left in wagons for Davenport. After a hot, 
dusty ride we arrived at Davenport at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, 
and marched out to Camp McClellan, where they received us very 
kindly. We had very fine barracks to go into and the boys of the 
Eighth Iowa had a good supper for us. It was our first meal in 
the army and consisted of boiled potatoes, fried bacon and baked 
beans. We have lots of straw to sleep on at night. We were to 
meet a part of a company from Le Claire under com- 
mand of Captain Foster and together form one company in 
the Eighth Iowa Infantry. But Captain Foster did not come, 
and since there are only eight Le Claire boys here we have not 
enough to make a company. 

Wednesday, 21st — We drew our army cooking utensils this 
morning and one day's rations, and then cleaned up our camp. 
Besides a part of the Eighth Iowa Infantry, there is a part of the 
Second Iowa Cavalry in camp. The first day of camp life is past, 
and we had our first experience of a night in camp, sleeping on 
straw for a bed. 

Thursday, 2 2d — Received orders this morning to get ready 
for review. At 1 o'clock in the afternoon we marched down into 
town and through the streets for a while and then back to camp. 
General Baker, Adjutant General of Iowa, is in charge of the 
camp. Our camp was named for General McClellan in the East. 

Friday, 23d — There is so much delay in completing the com- 
pany that the boys are beginning to think there is no hope of 
getting our company full. Some of the boys are joining other 

1 When I bade father good-by, he said: "Well, Alec, as you have 
made up your mind to go into the army, I want you to promise me that 
you will not enter into any of the vices that you will come in contact 
with while in the army, but try to conduct yourself just as if you were 
at home." Of course I was not an angel while in the army, but I al- 
ways remembered father's advice, and to that I attribute what little 
success I have had in life — and this is my seventy-second year. Father 
was in his forty-sixth year, but he told me that if it were not for leav- 
ing the family alone, he would go with me. He was a strong Union 
man, and his father had served all through the War of the Revolution, 
in the command of General Wayne. — A. G. D. 



i DOWNING' S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

companies. V iiting. those who wish may leave camp on 

I got a pass to go home for two or three da; .- 
Saturday. 24th — I reached home this morning at daylight, 
having left Davenport late yesterday afternoon, riding out 
i farmer to '"the forks" of the Hickory Grove and the Allen's 
jfove n there .valked the twenty-one miles home, 

after \ I me. 

7 s a fine day. I ent over tc Mr. Sparks 1 and accom- 
panied hi: I grove oats :f Tipton, to a camp meet- 
ing which is being conducted by the Christian church. We got 
there in time for the ~et:ing. 

5:: : : :h — I stayed over night at Sparks' and attended 

--- ng at the grc e igain this morning. We had a basket din- 
ner at nc jb At the afternoon service the Lord's Supper was ob- 
1. After the meeting we started for home, a dif 

Monday, 26th — There • as a heavy rainstorm last night. I 
- td all da; and in the evening went down 

Ian 1 to make arrangements to go back to Davenport in the 
morning to join the camp. 

Tuesday. 2~th — I went to Davenport today and returned to 

Camf Dan. A force of about five hundred men was sent 

- er by boat to Keokuk, for the pur; i reinforc- 

trooj ■ :hat place. It is expected that they will have 

a fig: t there. 1 e in returning to camp to g 

them. 

■:dnesday, 28th — There is nothing of importance. The camp 
as ::' it - serted. There are just a few convalescents 
.: able to go with the boys to Keokuk ; there are 
- - coming in. 

Thursday, 2 r ^th — News came that they had a fight at Keokuk ; 
the boys that vn had a lively skirmish with the 

mri 1 

Friday, ?otk — .' : - rtance. There are still some 

ig in camp for the Eighth Iowa, an<"i 
still a -ecruits to the Second Iowa Cavalry, which is 

in camp at the Fair Grounds. 

- . - known aa th» battle <.'. — Bd. 



ENLISTING IN THE UNTTKE STATES SERVICE 

- 5l 

Saturday, list — Our men arrived from '-'. » morning 

They did not get into actk n 

reported. The companies for the Eighth Iowa Infantry are al- 
most completed and the regiment will be ready leave Ear the 
South at a moment's notice. The arc fee receive the clothing 
ar.i i~ - i: 5: L: -i? 

SEPTEMBER, 1861. 

Su ' im — We - 7 reaching in camp today, both 

morning and evening, by the rhapbin of the Ek Eowa In- 

fantry. Quite a number :: s .-ame out from t: Trend 

the meeting. Al : e had dress parade with the E _ 

Iowa. 

Monde - — We are having regular driUmg now; com? 
drill at 10 o'clock in the forenoon for two hours, and in the after- 
noon regimental drill for two hours. Z er -A • 5 clock 
we have dress parade. 

Tnesdtr 3 & — A new :::":i::y came into camp today which 
had only about half the cssary number, and so it was planned 
to have them joir. us and form a full company, but the I 

companies could not agree on who should be captain. 

Wt i:h — Veryfi news »f importance. 

I K Governme .1 man 2 g :olen 

blanket, whkA ghl r bunks of wheat 

straw. There an two men to each bunk, my bunk-rr. 
Thomas Fossett Be is a g 

Thursd - — Four men from Company . A. 

A . :.:: :: ;.:::: : . . 

:he oath to support the United States ernment- 

Fridoy. 6th — Nothing of importance. V iriH 

We or 
o'clock now. The - I bread, beans 

sag salt and pepper - soap and candles. Tv 

- fees reef. Ea - 

for the :ng to army regal 

A — We had a big picnic dinner in car.-. 

- En for the - ers by the ladies of Scott c [here 

r. Downing - 

is in k 5 

. . t — - 



8 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(September, 1861) 

fried chicken, bread, pie and cake by the wagon load, free to all 
who were hungry. The food was placed on a long table and each 
man could walk up and help himself. There miust have been as 
many as five thousand who enjoyed the dinner. It was a beau- 
tiful day for the occasion. 

Sunday, 8th — We had preaching in camp three times today, 
morning, afternoon and evening. Quite a number from the city 
came out to camp to attend the services. The weather was de- 
lightful. 

Monday, pth — Our company was disbanded this morning, 
since we could not get men enough to fill it up. Some of our 
boys enlisted in other companies of the Eighth Iowa. Captain 
Foster of Le Claire sent word to our captain, McLoney, that he 
would raise an entire company at Le Claire. 1 

Tuesday, loth — I went down town this morning to see about 
enlisting in a battery which Mr. Little, a business man of Daven- 
port, is trying to raise. He was planning to raise a company 
of two hundred men to command a battery of heavy cannon. 
But before night I mlade up my mind that he would not succeed, 
and I did not enlist in it. I bunked with some others in vacant 
store buildings, lying on gunny sacks. It rained hard all day. 

Wednesday, nth — I went up to the Fair Grounds and spent 
the day there. The attendance was good, there being about two 
thousand present. 

Business is becoming quite dull. The war seems to put a 
stop to all improvements, and there is no demand for farm pro- 
duce. Money is getting scarce, gold having been out of circu- 
lation so long that people have forgotten how it looks, and mer- 
chants say that it will not be long until silver goes the san. vay. 
For a long time now we have had wild-cat money, but everybc \y 
is afraid to go to sleep with any of it on hand for fear that it 
will be worthless in the morning. 

Thursday, 12th — I attended the Scott County Fair again to- 
day. The attendance was about the same as yesterday. A part 
of the Second Iowa Cavalry is in camp here, Camp Holt. 

For three days now I have been trying to find some new com- 
pany in which to enlist, but not caring to go into a company of 

'At the time some of us were greatly disappointed in not getting 
Captain Foster for our company, but I believe now that in the long run 
it was a good thing. — A. G. D. 



ENLISTING IN THE UNITED STATES SERVICE 9 

(September, 1861) 

entire strangers, I made up my mind to go home for a few days. 
About sundown, with two other boys, Sylvester Daniels and David 
Huff, I started for home, going with a Mr. Chesbro in a farm 
wagon. 

Friday, 13th — We made the entire trip of thirty miles from 
Davenport last night and reached home by daylight. I went up 
to Tipton this afternoon and was sworn into the State service, 
my service dating back to August 20th. Our former captain, Mr. 
McLoney, and somie of the other Inland boys are here, besides 
four of the Le Claire boys. We are trying to form a new com- 
pany and everything looks good for a new company in a short 
time, quite a number of the boys having already enrolled. We 
are boarding at the hotel. 

Saturday, 14th — We had company drill this morning, and some 
five or six new men enrolled. I went home in the afternoon. 

Sunday, 15th — This morning I went to church and Sunday 
School once more. 

Monday, 16th — I returned to Tipton this morning. Our com- 
pany had no drill today on account of the rain — it rained all day. 
There were no enlistments. The disagreeable weather seems to 
make everybody feel gloomy. 

Tuesday, 17th — Several new men enrolled today and things 
look more encouraging. I boarded at the tavern today. 

Wednesday, 18th — There were more enrollments today, and 
there is some hope now of raising a company. The weather has 
become settled and everybody seems more cheerful. We have 
drill twice a day now, and have a good drill ground out on the 
town commons. 

Thursday, 19th — Nothing of importance today. A few new 
recruits came in. There is no excitement in getting men to en- 
list ; only plain facts are presented as to our duty to sustain the 
Government. 

Friday, 20th — Captain Stearns of Company A of the Eighth 
Iowa arrived today from Davenport, coming to encourage enlist- 
ments. Several new men enrolled today. We have a fine drill- 
master in John F. Compton of New Liberty, Scott county. He 
is an Englishman, and has served five years in the Queen's Guards 
of England. 



10 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(September, 1861) 

Saturday, 21st — We had company drill this morning. In the 
afternoon we had a big loyal mass-meeting in town, and we had 
speaking by Captain Stearns. He talked of our duty to sustain 
the Government. Quite a number enlisted as a result of the 
meeting, and it is hoped that the company may be completed so 
as to leave for Davenport in about eight days. 

Sunday, 22d — I remained in Tipton all day, going to preach- 
ing this morning and to Sunday school in the afternoon. 

Monday, 23d — The boys are beginning to enlist quite fast. A 
goodly numlber enrolled today, and we now have our company 
almost full. We drill twice a day. We drilled today in "double 
quick'' through the streets of Tipton. 

Tuesday, 24th — More enrolled today than any day yet. Most 
of the boys are from the surrounding farms, though there are a 
number of Tipton boys in our company. Our drillmaster keeps 
us on the drill ground most of the time. 

Wednesday, 25th — It rained all day and we had to drill in a 
big barn on the edge of town. We drilled in the barn on the 
"double quick." On account of the rain, business of all kinds is 
almost at a standstill. 

Thursday, 26th — We had no drill today. Instead of drilling 
all went to meeting. President Lincoln issued a proclamation 
asking that the day be observed as a day of fasting and prayer, 
and our company attended service twice today, in a body. The 
war has cast a gloom over the whole country ; people are begin- 
ning to believe that it will be a long siege before it is over with. 

Friday, 27th — Fine weather again. Our company was n. *- 
pleted today and we have arranged for election of officers to- 
morrow. 

Saturday, 28th — We had regular drill this morning and in the 
afternoon our election of officers. The election resulted as fol- 
lows: Captain, Samuel S. McLoney; First Lieutenant, John F. 
Compton; Second Lieutenant, Lorenzo D. Durbin; Orderly Ser- 
geant, Joel H. Clark. I went home this evening for the last time 
before leaving for Camp McClellan. 1 

Sunday, 29th — I went to meeting once more before leaving for 
camp. After preaching I went to Mr. Moore's, remaining there 

'It proved to be the last time for two years and six months. — A. G. D. 




THIS IS A PHOTOGRAPH OF A DAGUERREOTYPE OF MR. DOWNING 
TAKEN IN 1858, AT THE AGE OF SIXTEEN YEARS. 



ENLISTING IN THE UNITED STATES SERVICE 11 

(September, 1861) 

the rest of the day and stayed over night with John Moore. John 
presented me with a pocket Bible which he asked me to carry 
with me. 1 

Monday, 30th — I left home early this morning for Tipton, 
where at 10 o'clock about one hundred of us, with a band, left 
Tipton in farm wagons for Wilton, which place we reached at 4 
o'clock, all covered with mud. At 5 o'clock we took the train for 
Davenport and arrived there at 8 o'clock. We formed in double 
line at the station and marched through town past the Burtis 
Hotel, on up to Camp McClellan, where we went into the bar- 
racks. As we passed the hotel every other man was handed a 
good wool blanket. 

Company B of the Eleventh Iowa had supper prepared for us, 
consisting of boiled potatoes, fried bacon, boiled beef, baker's 
bread and coffee. On the way down from Wilton, Governor 
Kirkwood passed through the train and shook each man by the 
hand. 



'I carried this Bible during my four years' service and read it 
through four times. — A. G. D. 



12 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(October, 1861) 



Chapter II. 
In Camp McClellan. September 30-November 15. 

OCTOBER, 1861. 

Tuesday, 1st — We drew our cooking utensils and rations for 
five days. John Batderf, Joseph Tomlinson and I were put in 
as cooks for the company. We have company drill four hours 
a day. It seemjs that we are in camp this time for business. My 
bunk-mate is James M. Fossett, a brother of Thomas Fossett. 
James enlisted this time instead of his brother. He's a fine fel- 
low for a bunk-mate. 

Wednesday, 2d — It rained all day. The band from Tipton 
left for home this morning. Our company held an election this 
afternoon for choosing non-commissioned officers, sergeants and 
corporals. It was quite a political battle, the way the boys strove 
for the different offices. 

Thursday, 3d — It rained again all day, and although our camp 
is on high ground, on the bluff just east of town, yet it is a jelly 
of mud. It couldn't be otherwise with three or four thousand 
men tramping over it. 

Friday, 4th — The third all-day rain. Our regiment, tn^. Elev- 
enth Iowa, commenced to build their new barracks, located on 
the east side of the camp ground. Lieutenant Durbin arrived 
today. 

Saturday, 5th — Our company was sworn into the United 
States service today, by Captain Alexander Chambers of the regu- 
lar army. Four men were rejected, which left ninety in the com- 
pany. Fisher was rejected because he was too short — less than 
five feet, 1 and Lowe was rejected because he was pigeon-toed. - 
I got a pass and went to Allen's Grove to see John Moore. 

Sunday, 6th — I remained all day at Mr. Moore's. Mr. Moore 5 
is a Mexican War veteran. 

'He was taken later, however, when the need of men was greater 
and also because of his persistence. — A. G. D. 

2 Lowe feigned to be pigeon-toed, so that he would be rejected, 
having got chicken-hearted. The boys jeered him. — A. G. D. 

'Mr. Moore was an uncle of my friend and schoolmate, John Moore. 
—A. G. D. 



IN CAMP McCLELLAN 13 

(October, 1861) 

Monday, Jth — I left for Davenport early this morning, rid- 
ing to town with a farmer, and got back to camp at 2 o'clock. 
Quite a number of the boys around Allen's Grove are in camp 
here as members of the Second Iowa Cavalry. 

Tuesday, 8th — Regular drill morning and afternoon. All men 
are supposed to be on the drill ground regularly every day, un- 
less they are marked not fit for duty by the surgeon of the regi- 
ment. 

Wednesday, pth — Drill twice a day and dress parade at 5 p. 
m. New recruits are daily coming into camp. 

Thursday, 10th — The Thirteenth Iowa are building their new 
barracks just north of ours. The weather is getting quite cool, 
especially at night. 

Friday, nth — My company, E, has ninety-seven men. They 
are of several different nationalities, as follows : Three from 
Canada, four from Ireland, two from England, two from Ger- 
many, and one from France ; the rest are American-born, as fol- 
lows : Twenty-three from Ohio, twenty-one from Pennsylvania, 
sixteen from New York, eight from Indiana, six from Iowa, two 
each from Michigan and Vermont, and one each from Maryland 
and Maine. The average age is less than twenty years, and there 
are eight married men. 

Saturday, 12th — A number of new recruits are arriving, and 
the Fourteenth Iowa Infantry is being made up. Drill this after- 
noon. Five of the boys of my company got passes to go home 
for two or three days. 

Sunday, 13th — We had preaching in camp this morning by 
the chaplain, and he gave us a good sermon. A great many peo- 
ple came out from town to attend the meeting, and still more 
came this afternoon to see us on dress parade at 5 o'clock. 

Monday, 14th — We completed building our new barracks to- 
day. Each company has its own building, built of good one-inch 
lumber, with just enough room between the buildings for our long 
stationary company tables, where we eat. In front of the build- 
ing, extending the entire length, is our parade ground. 

Tuesday, 15th — We moved into our new barracks today, and 
the boys are all pleased with the new quarters. We had some 



14 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(October, 1861) 

visitors. Our camp is becoming quite a place for visitors — par- 
ents and friends of the boys coming- in to bid them the last good- 
bye. 

Wednesday, 16th — Colonel A. M. Hare, who arrived today, is 
in command of our regiment, the Eleventh Iowa. His home is 
at Muscatine. More visitors in camp today, and they are usually 
invited to take dinner or supper with us, as the case may be. 

Thursday, I'Jth — Our daily routine in camp is as follows : 
Reveille at 4 a. m., breakfast call at 5, drill at 9 and dinner call 
at noon ; drill call at 2 p. m., dress parade at 5, supper at 5 130, 
tattoo at 8 and taps at 9, when every man not on duty must be 
in his bunk and all lights out. 

Friday, 18th — Nothing of importance. At the sound of re- 
veille every man has to get up, fall in line, and answer to his 
name. We then march down over the bluff to the river to wash 
for breakfast, going by companies, each under the command of 
an officer. 

Saturday, igth — The Eleventh Iowa Infantry was completed 
today. All the companies now have their full quotas. 

Sunday, 20th — We had preaching twice today, morning and 
evening, by the chaplain of our regiment, John S. Whittlesey, a 
Congregational minister from Davenport. A number of people 
from town were out again to attend the' services. 

Monday, 21st — We received orders to keep the camp clean — 
have to clean up every morning. The men mi,, all keep their 
clothes brushed and their shoes polished. 

Tuesday, 22d — There were quite a number of visitors from 
Tipton today — friends of the boys from that place. The weather 
is cloudy and disagreeable. 

Wednesday, 23d — There was a large fire in town today. New 
companies for the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Regiments are ar- 
riving in camp nearly every day ; also new troops for the Second 
Iowa Cavalry in camp at the Fair Grounds. 

Thursday, 24th — The flag was run up at half mast today, in 
honor of the death of Colonel Wentz, of the Second Iowa In- 
fantry. Clothing and arms for our regiment have arrived at 
Davenport. The boys are glad to know that our regiment is to 
be equipped before leaving the State — ours is to be the first so 
equipped. 



IN CAMP McCLELLAN 15 

(October, 1861) 

Friday, 25th — We got our equipments today. Our guns are 
the old-fashioned muskets made by working over the old flint- 
lock gun, so as to use a cap in place of the flint. The musket 
is loaded with a cartridge containing powder, ball, and three 
buckshot in front of the ball. Each man is to carry forty rounds 
or more of ammunition all the time. 

Saturday, 26th — We drilled with our new arms this morning 
for the first time. Some of the men are awfully awkward in 
shouldering arms and using the ramrod and returning it to its 
place. It is also quite amusing to hear some of the officers give 
orders when we are going through the manual of arms. 

Sunday, 27th — W r e had regular preaching today, both morning 
and afternoon, by the chaplain. There was a large attendance 
from outside the camp at the meetings. The mornings are be- 
coming quite frosty. 

Monday, 28th — Nothing of importance today. All the boys 
of the company like to drill under Compton, our first lieutenant, 
for he can give the correct commands in the manual of arms, and 
he makes us toe the chalk line. He is not at all overbearing, as 
some of the officers are, but is kind to the men, especially to those 
who try to execute the commands. 

Tuesday. 29th — Several new companies of the Thirteenth Iowa 
Infantry were sworn into the United States service today. Mar- 
cell us M. Crocker of Des Moines is to be their colonel. 

Wednesday, 30th — Nothing of importance. We now have a 
quartermaster for our regiment, Richard Cadle of Muscatine. All 
think that he is a good man for the place, and will see that every 
man is cared for. We draw rations every five days. 

Thursday, 31st — The new uniforms for the Eleventh Iowa 
were received today by our quartermaster. We are the first to 
receive uniforms before leaving the State. This is the last of 
October — and we are still at old Camp McClellan, Davenport, 
Iowa. 

NOVEMBER, 186 1. 

Friday, 1st — Our uniforms were brought up to camp from 
town, and several companies drew theirs today. Every company 
drills four hours a day now. Some of the men have a hard time 



16 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(November, 1861) 

remembering the commands of the officers and some of the officers 
cannot remember the correct commands to give. Some of them 
make as big blunders as the men. 1 

Saturday, 2d — Company E drew their uniforms today, each 
man receiving the following pieces: one dress coat, $6.71; one 
overcoat, $7.20; one pair of pants, $3.03 ; one pair of shoes, $1.96 ; 
two shirts, $1.76; one double woolen blanket, $2.96; one hat, 
$1.55; two pair of drawers, $1.00; two pair of socks, 52c; one 
cap, 60c; one leather collar, 14c. The total cost for each man was 
$27.43. 

Sunday, jrf — We had company inspection for the first time, 
this morning at 10 o'clock, and we therefore had preaching in 
the afternoon only. Our entire regiment was out on dress parade 
in the new uniforms for the first time. Fully half of the people 
of Davenport were out to see us, for it was the first of the kind 
they had seen. 

Monday, 4th — We had some visitors in camp today from In- 
land. Nothing of importance. The part of our uniform most 
talked about and criticised is the leather collar, which each man 
has to wear. It is a piece of stiff upper leather about two inches 
wide in the middle, tapering to one inch at the ends, which are 
fastened with a buckle. We wear it about our necks with the 
wide part under the chin to make us hold our heads erect. These 
collars the boys call "dog-collars." 

Tuesday, 5th — We received strict orders today to take care of 
our equipment, especially our clothes and guns. Then we have 
to wear brass epaulets on our shoulders, which makes a great 
deal of extra work as they have to be kept polished. 2 

Wednesday, 6th — Drill twice a day : company drill in the fore- 
noon and regimental drill in the afternoon. Colonel Hare for the 
first time commanded the regiment on the drill ground. 

Thursday, ?th — Received orders to fix up for review. We 
packed our knapsacks, filled our haversacks and canteens, and 

'Upon one occasion a certain captain had his company out for a drill 
on the town commons. The company was marching "by platoon guide 
right," and advancing toward a big open ditch full of water, when the 
captain, forgetting the correct command to give, "halt" or "right-about 
face," called out, "Look out for that ditch!" Now according to mili- 
tary tactics soldiers are not expected to move or change their course 
except upon specific command, and so, to the chagrin of the captain, his 
men went right on, plunged into the water and crossed to the other 
bank. A few, however, did "look out for the ditch," and the company 
was thrown into great confusion. — A. G. D. 

2 When we once got into activ e service, these epaulets were discarded, 
and the "dog collars" went with them. — A. G. D. 



IN CAMP McCLELLAN 17 

(November, 1861) 

with our arms formed in line, all as if we were going on a long 
march. At 10 o'clock we marched down through the streets of 
Davenport and were reviewed by Adjutant General Baker. Then 
we marched back to camp. Our regiment with the new uniforms 
was quite a drawing card, for it seemed as if all of the towns- 
people were out to see us pass by. 

Friday, 8th — The Thirteenth Iowa received their uniforms and 
equipments today. Some of our boys are absent on sick leave, 
having caught severe colds on account of the changeable weather. 

Saturday, gth — We received our State pay today. I got $20.60 
in paper money, thus losing only about twenty-five cents on the 
dollar. I served forty-five days under the State. 

Sunday, 10th — We had company inspection this morning at 9 
o'clock and preaching at 10. At 5 o'clock in the afternoon we had 
dress parade and then in the evening we had preaching again. 

Monday, nth — No news of importance. Our regiment is 
gradually adapting itself to the military harness; the hardest 
thing to get used to is wearing the leather collars about our necks. 

Tuesday, 12th — There is some talk of our having to stay here 
in camp all winter. Most of the men are getting rather restless 
and anxious to get to the seat of war. New companies for the 
Fourteenth Iowa are still arriving. 

Wednesday, 13th — The weather is getting cold, which makes 
it rather disagreeable eating our meals at the long tables outside 
the barracks ; besides, the coffee and victuals cool off so quickly. 

Thursday, 14th — Our regular drills twice a day, company and 
regimental. No news. 

Friday, 15th — We received orders to leave for the South and 
everybody is happy in the thought that we are going to leave. A 
great many got passes to go down town to purchase supplies, such 
as letter paper, stamps and the like. We had our last drill on 
the old camp ground yesterday and got ready today to move. 



18 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(November, 1861) 



Chapter III. 

The Mobilization at Benton Barracks. November 16-Decem- 

ber 7. 

Saturday, i6th — Reveille sounded at 2 a. m., and packing our 
knapsacks, we started at 8 o'clock for the boat down at the levee. 
Here we stacked our arms and waited until the quartermaster 
with his detail got the commissariat loaded, putting it upon our 
boat and the two barges, one on either side. By noon all was 
ready and we marched on board, some going upon the boat and 
some upon the barges, and at 2 p. m. left Davenport, bound for 
St. Louis. 

We reached Muscatine about sundown and because there are 
so many Muscatine people in the regiment, we landed and 
marched uptown to Main Street. Here we had dress parade for 
the benefit of the citizens, who turned out in large numbers. Com- 
panies A and H are made up of Muscatine boys, while our colonel 
and quartermaster reside here ; besides, Company I is from Louisa 
county just west of this place. After the parade we marched 
back to the boats and left at once for Keokuk. Our boat is the 
"Jennie Whipple," and Company E is stationed on the hurricane 
deck. 

Sunday, iyth — We had a pretty stiff introduction to our first 
night on a river boat, for it snowed in the night. My bunk-mate, 
James Fossett, and I lay down on the deck with our heads to the 
smoke-stack instead of our feet, in order to avoid lying with our 
heads down hill. By morning we were covered with snow, about 
two inches deep. At 8 a. m. we landed at Montrose, where two 
of our companies were transferred from our boat to another boat 
in order to lighten our boat for the purpose of passing through 
the rapids just above Keokuk. We reached Keokuk in safety 
about noon and went on shore to cook some provisions. At dusk 
we returned to the boats, our company being transferred to an- 
other boat which lay at Keokuk all night while the "Jennie 
Whipple" proceeded down the river. 

Monday, 18th — We left Keokuk at daylight and ran all day 
without accident or incident. We again tied up for the night, 



THE MOBILIZATION AT BENTON BARRACKS 19 

(November, 1861) 

for fear of encountering a "secesh" battery on the banks. 
The weather is delightful and riding on the "Father of Waters" 
is very enjoyable. 

Tuesday, iQth — We started down the river again at daylight 
and reached St. Louis at 3 p. m. We landed and marched to 
Benton Barracks, where we were to be at home. Just as we left 
the boat it commenced to rain and we marched the whole way 
in a downpour of rain which soaked our clothes through and 
through. Reaching the barracks we built fires to dry our clothes 
before retiring for the night. 

Wednesday, 20th — The first thing this morning was to finish 
drying our clothing, after which we cleaned up and burnished our 
guns. There are several thousand troops, infantry, cavalry, and 
artillery here in camp. The barracks are ordinary frame struc- 
tures and built around the drill ground. The Eleventh Iowa is 
located on the west side of the ground. We have large quanti- 
ties of firewood on hand. 

Thursday, 21st — We took up our regular company and regi- 
mental drills again, and have a very fine drill ground. 

Friday, 22d — New troops are arriving all the time, and there 
are something like forty thousand men in the barracks at present. 
This camp has the appearance of being nearer the seat of war. 
It is a novel experience for us country boys to see so many men 
all armed for war, some on guard duty, others leaving for the 
front, while still others are arriving. The commissary work of 
the camp is thoroughly organized. Each company has a detail 
of cooks which serves a week at a time and then is relieved by 
another shift. The cooks go to the quartermaster and get the 
rations for five days at a time. The food is cooked in kettles 
hung in a row in the rear of the barracks, and is served on long 
stationary tables, each accommodating a full company. Our ra- 
tions are about the same as at Camp McClellan, except that we 
have our first taste of "hard-tack" instead of bread. 

Saturday, 23d — We cleaned up today, preparing for our first 
inspection and review at Benton Barracks. I sent $10.00 home 
today, the surplus of my State pay. 

Sunday, 24th — We had our first regular company inspection 
this morning at 10 o'clock, and at 2 p. m. we had general review, 



20 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(November, 1861) 

then at 5 o'clock we were on dress parade, but as it is Sunday 
there was no regular drilling. 

Monday, 25th — Nothing of importance. Camp life is a big 
change from life at home. In the army, every man simply obeys 
orders; he knows his place and keeps it. Our officers generally 
are kind to the men, especially if a man tries to do his duty. 

Tuesday, 26th — Our drills now are, company drill at 10 a. m., 
battalion drill at 2 p. m. and dress parade at 5 p. m. We com- 
menced battalion drill today. 

Wednesday, 2jth — No news of importance. We enjoy our 
drilling under First Lieutenant Compton. He has the company 
under perfect control. The boys always make an effort to exe- 
cute his commands and we are never ashamed of our drilling when 
other soldiers are standing by observing our movements. 

Thursday, 28th — The weather is very warm and pleasant. 
The regiment is becoming quite proficient in battalion drill, Col- 
onel Hare seeming to understand the movements quite well. 
When the Colonel gives the orders to the different company offi- 
cers, he usually simply says to Compton, "You know how to move 
your company." 

Friday, 29th — We had inspection for pay today, which includes 
inspection of knapsacks and equipments. After inspection and 
pay, I went down town on a pass and purchased a portfolio, 1 a 
paper weight and a pocket knife for army service. 

Saturday, 30th — We had our first general review today, in- 
cluding the infantry, cavalry and artillery. The parade ground 
was full of soldiers, most of them full-armed for active service. 
And thus ends the month of November at Benton Barracks, St. 
Louis, Missouri. 

DECEMBER, 1861. 

Sunday, 1st — We had a big snowstorm last night. It came 
my turn to go on camp guard for the first time. It takes some 
five hundred men to go around the camp. 

Monday, 2d — It turned warm today and the snow is all gone. 
I was on guard for the first time here at the barracks. We have 
to walk the beats with our overcoats on. A man on this, the 

>This portfolio, together with my Bible, I carried through my four 
years' service. — A. G. D. 



THE MOBILIZATION AT BENTON BARRACKS 21 

(December, 1861) 

west side, of the camp was engaged in cleaning his rifle today, 
when by some movement it was accidentally discharged and hit 
and killed a soldier on the other side of the grounds. 

Tuesday, jcf — Nothing of importance. It is quite noticeable 
that the men are now holding their heads erect without wearing 
the ''dog collars" around their necks. 

Wednesday, 4th — Company drill in the forenoon and battalion 
drill in the afternoon. We get the St. Louis papers in camp 
every morning and keep posted on the movements of all parts of 
the army in the field. 

Thursday, 5th — No news of importance. There are troops 
from all of the western states here in camp and working together 
in harmony. 

Friday, 6th — Very warm and pleasant. There are soldiers 
drilling almost all the time. Our drill ground is level but well 
drained, so that even after a heavy rain it is soon dry again. 

Saturday, /th — The Eleventh Iowa received marching orders 
today, and we are to carry forty rounds of extra ammunition, be- 
sides our cartridge box of forty rounds. There was no drill or 
dress parade today on account of an all-day rain. 



22 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

• December, 1861) 



Chapter IV. 
In Winter Quarters and Garrison Duty. December 8-March 8. 

Sunday, 8th — Reveille sounded this morning at 2 o'clock. We 
jumped out of our bunks, packed our knapsacks, and got started 
for the railroad station by daylight. As we left the barracks and 
entered the main street leading down to the city, the sun away 
to the southeast, just above the hills, showed its face — a regular 
ball of fire. How glorious it was ! I think I shall never forget 
it. Arriving at the railroad yards, we stacked arms and went to 
loading our commissariat onto the cars — coal cars. At noon 
we boarded the train for Jefferson City, riding in box-cars and 
open cars, and reached our destination at 6 p. m. 

While loading our train at St. Louis, we heard the church 
bells calling the people to worship. It made many of us think 
of home and I wonder if the folks at home were thinking of us 
boys here at the seat of war. For here there is no church for 
us, and when we get orders to go, there is no stopping for Sunday. 

Monday, gth — We left the cars and marched up through town, 
where we were met by the Forty-seventh Illinois Infantry, who 
turned out to receive us, presenting arms. They took us into 
camp about a mile southwest of town. Here we pitched our 
tents and for the first time went into camp. 1 I went on guard. 

Tuesday, 10th — I was on camp-guard all last night, and un- 
til 9 o'clock this morning, when I was relieved. The order of 
the day was cleaning up camp and our clothes. Our camp is on 
high ground and we have plenty of wood for fires and for cook- 
ing. We also have good water, but have to go a half mile for it. 

Wednesday, nth — I am having my first experience of living 
in a tent. We are under the strictest military rules, and we are 
just beginning to realize that a soldier's life is not all glory. 

'We had left our train standing on a siding east of the city along- 
side a fine piece of timber, the ground covered with a heavy sward of 
blue grass. Some of the boys thought the grass would be just the place 
upon which to lay the ponchos and sleep on them for the night, and 
they did so. But it was a mistake, for the ground was cold and damp 
and a number of the boys caught hard colds from which several of them 
never recovered. My bunkmate, James Fossett, was one of those, and 
with the cold taken that night and later, he was sent to the hospital 
suffering from inflammatory rheumatism. He never again returned to 
the company, being finally discharged for disability, on October 17, 1862. 
—A. G. D. 



IN WINTER QUARTERS AND GARRISON DUTY 23 

(December, 1861) 

Thursday, 12th — We received our first month's pay today. 
Each man in Company E received pay for twenty-six days of 
service in the month of October, amounting to $11.25, a utt ^ e ^ ess 
than a full month's pay. I received my first Government pay as 
a soldier in the United States service, getting a ten-dollar gold 
piece 1 and one dollar and twenty-five cents in silver. I expressed 
$10.00 home. 

Friday, 13th — The Eleventh Iowa is at home now in wedge 
tents, with four men to a tent, and we are experiencing more 
changes in living. Irish potatoes have been dropped from our 
rations and we have no tables now at which to eat our meals. 
When the orderly sergeant draws the rations, the company cook 
calls out for every man to come and get his portion — of hard- 
tack, bacon, sugar, salt, pepper, soap and candles. The cook 
makes the coffee, boils the beans and salt beef (fresh beef twice 
a week), and at noon calls each man to get his day's rations of 
bean soup and meat. The coffee he makes three times a day, 
each man having his own tin cup for his coffee. Each one pre- 
pares his own bacon to suit his taste, many eating it raw between 
two pieces of hard-tack. Every one has his own plate, knife and 
fork. 

Our regiment received marching orders with ten days' ra- 
tions, and so we have to leave just as we were getting settled in 
our tent camp. 

Saturday, 14th — We struck our tents early this morning and 
at sunup marched down to the landing on the Missouri river, 
where under the quartermaster a large detail of men worked near- 
ly all day loading our commissariat on board the boats. At sun- 
down our regiment, with a part of the Second Illinois Cavalry, 
started up the river. 

Sunday, 15th — We landed at the little town of Providence, 
Missouri, about sunup and experienced our first day's march after 
the "secesh." It was a delightful day. The few belated grass- 
hoppers and crickets which escaped the cold spells were singing 
their farewell songs. We were all awake and keyed to the high- 
est pitch, felt prepared to meet ten thousand "secesh" at any mo- 
ment. A detail of cavalry was leading the way, and when at 

'This was the first gold I had seen for months and, as it proved, the 
last I saw during" the war. — A. G. D. 






24 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(December, 1861) 

times our marching was delayed, each man anxiously wanting to 
know the cause, would peer forward over the shoulder of his file 
leader; but there was nothing to see. 

At noon we stacked arms and ate our first lunch upon a march, 
and in the "secesh's" country at that. Here we rested about two 
hours, until the cavalry returned. They reported that there was 
not a "secesh" to be seen in that part of the country, and I guess all 
heaved a sigh of relief in the thought that there would be no fight- 
ing today. We were ten miles out from our landing. Hasten- 
ing our return march, we reached our boat at sundown, and 
boarding it, proceeded up the river. 

Monday, 16th — We reached Boonville at sunup, and landing, 
remained there about two hours, when we again boarded the boat 
and crossed to the other side of the river. We lay on the boat 
here till dark, when Company E and three other companies started 
for Boonesboro, seven or eight miles distant. Reaching the town 
we surrounded it and waited for daylight. On our way out we 
marched through some very heavy timber, where the sound of 
our tramping and the rattle of our bayonets aroused the many 
wood owls, and of all the hideous noises I ever listened to — it 
made my hair stand on end ! 

Tuesday, iyth — This morning we entered the town and made 
a search of all the houses for "secesh." We took seven prisoners, 
besides some arms and ammunition. This being a great apple 
country, we found stores of apples in the houses, and helping our- 
selves, we filled our haversacks. By one o'clock we had finished 
sacking the town and started back to our boats, arriving there at 
dark. 

Wednesday, 18th — The four companies of cavalry that accom- 
panied us up the river (also by boat) went on a scouting expe- 
dition yesterday toward the town of Glasgow. They captured 
and brought in this morning one hundred and fifty-five kegs of 
powder which they found hid in haystacks. We stored the pow- 
der in the hull of our boat, and at 2 p. m. left this place for an 
all-night run on our return to Jefferson City. But we are quite 
uneasy for fear of an explosion from our cargo of powder. 

Thursday, 19th — We reached Jefferson City this morning at 
sunup after an uncomfortable night's ride. The water in the 
river is very low and it seems that we were fastened on sandbars 



IN WINTER QUARTERS AND GARRISON DUTY 25 

(December, 1861) 

half the time. Then when the boat was under way, the boat 
hands, one on each side of the vessel, were constantly calling the 
soundings, "six feet," "ten feet," "no bottom," etc., in that dread- 
ful, drawling sound, keeping it up all night, and with the thought 
of that powder on board — it was not a good night for sleeping. 
But we landed, and marching out to the camp, pitched our tents 
where we were before. We got back all safe and sound, with 
one exception, for one of our company took the smallpox and 
was left at the pesthouse at Boonville, with only his bunk-mate 
to care for him. The weather is quite cool. 

Friday, 20th — We finished cleaning our clothing and accouter- 
ments and spent the rest of the day in cleaning up our camp and 
parade ground, besides bringing in firewood from the timber 
near by. When we got back we found the Thirteenth Iowa here 
in camp, having arrived on the nth day of the month, during 
our absence. 

Saturday, 21st — Nothing of importance today. I went on 
guard. There is some talk of making Jefferson City headquarters 
for the various detachments of the army within fifty miles of this 
place. 

Sunday, 2 2d — It snowed all day, the snow falling in large 
flakes, and the weather is fast turning colder. I was detailed 
on camp guard and with my overcoat on walked my beat for two 
hours at a time. At about 4 o'clock in the afternoon five com- 
panies of our regiment received marching orders to go at once, 
and striking our tents we hastened down to the railroad station 
on the bank of the river, where we had to stack arms and wait 
four hours for the train. The weather by this time had turned 
intensely cold and we were compelled to build fires to keep warm, 
but no firewood was at hand. The boys spied a lot of canoes 
stored away for the winter under a warehouse ; these we appro- 
priated and had used up forty or fifty of them before our train 
finally came. When the train did come, we discovered to our 
dismay that it was made up of stock cars, bedded with straw. 
We boarded the cars at 8 p. m. and settling ourselves as comfort- 
ably as possible, with our rifles in hand started at midnight for 
California, Missouri. 

Monday, 23d — We arrived at California about sunup, almost 
frozen ; it cleared off during the night and a cold northwest wind 



26 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(December, 1861) 

was blowing. Leaving the train we entered the several churches 
in town and built fires to warm by, Company E going into a Cath- 
olic church, where the sexton and his wife brought us some hot 
coffee. We then put into winter quarters, occupying vacant 
houses and storerooms and made all the "secesh" skedaddle. The 
companies in quarters here are B, E, G, K and H, under command 
of Lieut. Col. William Hall. We just learned why it was that 
we were rushed up here last night. It had been reported at Jef- 
ferson City that a train with "secesh" prisoners was to pass 
through this place today, bound for St. Louis, and that their sym- 
pathizers in this locality were planning a raid on the train to 
liberate the prisoners. 

Tuesday, 24th — We raised a flag pole today and ran up the 
Stars and Stripes high in the air, amidst cheering and singing 
the old song, "Columbia." 
"Long may it wave, 
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!" 
This afternoon we went over town and compelled all the se- 
cessionists to take the oath. Quite a number of the boys are sick 
with bad colds, the result of the hard exposure coming up on the 
stock cars the other night. 

Wednesday, 25th — This is a beautiful day, the snow having 
nearly all disappeared. The boys had a fine time today, this being 
our first Christmas experience in the army. There was no roast 
turkey with cranberry sauce and we all missed mother's mince 
pies, cake and doughnuts. But we bought some pies and cakes 
of the citizens here, which with our regular army rations made 
a good dinner and something like a square meal. In the evening 
some of us boys went to the tavern to get our suppers, costing 
twenty-five cents apiece, and we had hot biscuit and honey in the 
bargain. 

Thursday, 26th — By orders Company E boarded the cars this 
morning for Lookout Station farther on, about twelve miles from 
California. I bade my bunk-mate, James Fossett, goodby at the 
hospital, where he is confined with inflammatory rheumatism. 
His suffering is something intense, and he is unable to turn him- 
self in bed, but I left him in the hands of a good nurse. 

Friday, 27th — We went into winter quarters here, and that 
with the intention of cleaning the "secesh" out of this part 



IN WINTER QUARTERS AND GARRISON DUTY 27 

(December, 1861) 

of the country. Our company is the only one here, and our 
captain is in command of the post. There are but few houses in 
this place, and we are quartered in a vacant storeroom, one-half 
the company upstairs, the other below. We who are below built 
our bunks on the counters, one on each side of the room. We 
keep two picket posts at night, ten men at each post, on the sides 
where the railroad enters. We also have a day patrol on the 
railroad. 

Saturday, 28th — We had to send two patrols of five men each 
down the railroad track each way from the station. There is al- 
ways some danger of the track's being torn up by organized bands 
of the "secesh" in this locality. 1 

Sunday, 29th — I am staying at the tavern on account of hav- 
ing taken a severe cold. As we are here without the regimental 
surgeon, the captain marked me "not fit for duty." The land- 
lady is very kind to me and is helping break up my cold. The 
company had to clean up this morning for inspection. 

Monday, 30th — We made all the citizens at this place take the 
oath ; they have to take the oath not to aid or shelter those who 
are fighting against the Union. There are but few men left in 
this locality, they having enlisted, some of them in the Union 
army, but most of them with the South. 

Tuesday, 31st — The boys are all preparing for New Year's 
Day celebration. Thus ends 1861. 2 

JANUARY, 1862. 

Wednesday, 1st — I am back with the company again. The 
boys are having a big chicken dinner today, Lieutenant Compton 
having bought four dozen chickens and presented them to the 
company for a New Year's dinner. 

Thursday, 2d — Nothing of importance. The weather is quite 
cold, but since we are in a building with stoves and plenty of 
wood, we do not suffer from the cold. Lookout Station is a 

'William Dwiggans died of typhoid fever on this day, in the hos- 
pital at Jefferson City. His was the first death in Company E. He was 
a good boy and a dutiful soldier. — A. G. D. 

2 The last day of 1861 found our regiment stationed as follows: Com- 
pany B at Lookout Station, Companies B, G, K and H at California, 
Companies A, C, D, F arid I at Fulton, all in the State of Missouri, and 
not far apart. They were all in winter quarters, occupying vacant store 
buildings. We saw some pretty hard service during the month of De- 
cember, but only in the suffering by exposure to the cold weather. — 
A. G. D. 



28 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(January, 1862) 

small town on the railroad between California and Jefferson City ; 
there is a store, tavern, and twelve residences, some of which are 
vacant, and the country around is heavily timbered. 

Friday, 3d — Mrs. Hemmenway gave some of the boys per- 
mission to have a dance at her home last night. Quite a number 
of the boys went and they declare that they had a good time. 
The girls of the locality were there and most of them either 
smoked or chewed tobacco. They would dance a while, then rest 
and smoke, but those that chewed did not care to stop. 1 

Saturday, 4th — Some of the boys went out today on a 'possum 
hunt. They were very successful, as this is a good 'possum coun- 
try, especially over on the banks of the Missouri river. 

Sunday, 5th — Nothing of importance. Everything is very 
quiet and it appears lonesome today. Our company had no 
preaching today, as our chaplain is with another part of the regi- 
ment. The weather has become quite warm. Regular picket 
and patrol duty at night. 

Monday, 6th — This is a very fine day. The boys went out 
on another 'possum hunt and brought in six. 

Tuesday, Jth — Nothing of importance. It rained all day. Our 
company is divided into messes, seven in all, and each has a cook. 
Each mess draws its rations every five days, according to num- 
ber, and the rations are placed in the care of the cooks. Some 
of the cooks are not well posted on cooking. Cook number 7 
wanted to cook some rice for dinner and put his kettle on filled 
with rice. Presently he began dipping out rice, as it was run- 
ning over, and he soon had his third kettle filled with rice. In 
finishing it up he let it scorch and to overcome that he put in 
some molasses, which the boys foraged out in the country, and 
so mess number 7 will have sweet scorched rice for some days 
to come. 2 

Wednesday, 8th — The boys have been gathering persimmons 
and walnuts today — got lots of them. 

Thursday, 9th — Some of the boys go out into the country al- 
most every day on foraging expeditions and bring in an abun- 

J Craven Lane, a member of Company E, died of lung fever on this 
day at Jefferson City. He had been with us but a short time and was 
a very quiet boy. — A. G. D. 

2 Cook number 7 did not hear the last of it for some time. We all 
recommended him as being a good hand to cook rice. — A. G. D. 



IN WINTER QUARTERS AND GARRISON DUTY 29 

(January, 1862) 

dance of things to eat, so that with our regular rations we are 
pretty well supplied. 

Friday, ioth — It is cool and cloudy, with some rain. We get 
our mail every day, as the railroad is open between here and St. 
Louis. 

Saturday, nth — Our company were all vaccinated today as a 
protection against smallpox. The regimental surgeon came down 
from California to do the work. Our captain called the company 
up in line, and every man had to take his medicine. 

Sunday, 12th — Dr. Smith, a resident here, had his horse stolen 
last night. This morning Lieutenant Durbin with ten men went 
out to find the thief, but they returned this evening without find- 
ing him. 

Monday, 13th — Some of the boys have been getting whiskey 
in this locality and today Lieutenant Compton with Carl Frink 
and John White went to find where they were getting it, but they 
returned late in the evening without finding the distilling plant. 

Tuesday, 14th — Lieutenant Compton with five men went out 
to capture the man who fired into a passenger train last summer 
and killed the conductor. When the man saw them approaching 
to surround his house, he started to run for the timber. He re- 
fused to surrender and the men fired on him, shooting him 
through the thigh, but upon seeing that the man was severely 
wounded. Lieutenant Compton gave the order to let the man re- 
main at his home. 

Wednesday, 13th — Nothing of importance. Got some more 
pies and doughnuts from a man and his wife who come in three 
times a week with them, to sell to the boys. We usually lay in a 
good supply. 

Thursday, 16th — A squad of the boys went out scouting 1 and 
took one man a prisoner, besides bringing in nine mules and six 
hogs. They took the man to headquarters, turned the mules over 
to the regimental quartermaster, and the hogs we made use of 
as so much extra pork for the company. 

Friday, 17th — Warm and pleasant. Nothing of importance. 
Some of the boys are quite sick from the effects of vaccination, 
though on some of them it did not work. Mine worked fine, and 

•This was really a foraging expedition which at that time they 
spoke of as "scouting." — Ed. 



30 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(January, 1862) 

some of the boys took virus from my arm and vaccinated them- 
selves. The surgeon vaccinated a few of the boys as many as 
four or five times before it took. 

Saturday, 18th — Some of the boys went out on a scouting- ex- 
pedition, but did not meet with any success. 

Sunday, ipth — Lieutenant Durbin and some of the boys went 
out scouting. They brought in a lot of corn to feed the horses ; 
also some walnuts, hickory nuts, corn meal and molasses. The 
lieutenant took a "secesh" flag from a schoolma'am. 

Monday, 20th — It snowed some today and turned colder ; the 
weather is very changeable. I wrote a letter to father and en- 
closed $20.00 of the $26.00 I received from the Government on 
the 8th inst. 

Tuesday, 21st — Nothing of importance. Everything is very 
quiet in this locality. We have nothing but the regular camp 
duty to perform. Mess number 7 have now used up all their 
cooked rice. 

Wednesday, 22d — Orderly Clark, Sergeants Spencer, Sweet 
and White went out on a scouting expedition and brought in a 
pair of ponies and some things to eat. 

Thursday, 23d — It is warm today. Nothing of importance. 
The land around Lookout Station is heavily timbered and there 
are no large farms. Negroes are very scarce here. The war has 
put a blight on this part of the State. 

Friday, 24th — It snowed a very little today. Soldiers are 
marching past here for St. Louis. The roads are in a fearful 
condition. Our company would like to leave this place for more 
active service. Our picket and patrol duty is very light, though 
it is all-night duty. None of the men on the scouting expedi- 
tions have been hurt or wounded. 

Saturday, 25th — The report came that we were to be brigaded 
today — the Eleventh, Thirteenth, Fifteenth and Sixteenth Iowa 
Regiments are in one brigade. Hurrah for Iowa ! The four 
regiments are to form an Iowa brigade and the organization will 
date from today. 

Sunday, 26th — We had preaching in our quarters this fore- 
noon and in the evening a few gathered for prayer meeting. Our 
quarters were not very inviting for a minister. There was no 



IN WINTER QUARTERS AND GARRISON DUTY 31 

(January, 1862) 

tuning fork for the music and we had no chairs, most of the boys 
standing during the preaching. 

Monday, 27th — The regimental surgeon came down from 
California to look over the convalescents in our company ; he re- 
vaccinated all on whom the vaccine had not worked. 

Tuesday, 28 th — One of the Missouri boys who enlisted in our 
company while at Jefferson City asked me to go with him to spend 
the evening with a family about two miles out, where there were 
three or four young ladies. One of the young women was his 
best girl and he wished to bid her goodby before we left for the 
South. He assured me that we would have plenty of good 
things to eat and that there would be no danger, and so I finally 
decided that it would be safe to go. We had a very enjoyable 
time and about midnight started for our quarters, running all the 
way. 1 

Wednesday, 29th — Our company has had a fine time while at 
Lookout Station and the men are all in good health with the ex- 
ception of two or three who are suffering from varioloid as a 
result of vaccination. 

Thursday, 30th — A part of our company went out into the 
timber to gather persimmons. They are very plentiful in this lo- 
cality ; the trees are quite large and some of them are loaded with 
the finest fruit. 

Friday, 31st — This is the end of January. Company E has 
been at Lookout Station thirty-seven days, and while our army 
service has not been hard, yet we are anxious to leave for more 
active service. 

FEBRUARY, 1862. 

Saturday, 1st — I commenced cooking for twenty men of our 
company. None of the boys likes cooking, so the seven messes 
have been consolidated into three with a cook for each. Mess 
numbers 1 and 2 have been united, becoming mess number 1, and 
I am to be the cook. 

Sunday, 2d — Nothing of importance. We had preaching in 
the forenoon and prayer meeting in the afternoon. 

'We arrived safely at our quarters, but I made up my mind never 
again to take such a trip while in the enemy's country. — A. G. D. 



32 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(February, 1862) 

Monday, 3d — The captain with eight men went out on a scout- 
ing trip to rout some "secesh" from an island in the Missouri 
river, where they were trying to recruit a company. 

Tuesday, 4th — A squad of the boys went out on a scouting 
expedition, but did not accomplish much in the way of getting 
supplies for the company. 

Wednesday, 5th — Nothing of importance ; the regular routine 
of camp life. Our company has this locality pretty well disci- 
plined as to the people's duty toward the Government. 

Thursday, 6th — Very fine weather. There is one woman in 
this locality of whom the boys are afraid, for she has a large 
kettle of water hanging on the crane over the fireplace. This she 
keeps at the boiling point, and whenever any of the boys come 
around her premises, she is out with the hot water. They have 
to take lively steps to keep out of her way. 

Friday, 7th — No news of importance. The boys had a danc- 
ing party at the depot, and some of the girls in the neighborhood 
who are somewhat lively were there — they seem to enjoy smok- 
ing when out in company. 

Saturday, 8th — It is the same old thing over. We cleaned up 
our accouterments for inspection tomorrow. 

Sunday, pth — Company inspection this morning. We had 
preaching by the chaplain in the forenoon, and the boys had prayer 
meeting in the evening. 

Monday, 10th — Nothing of importance. A squad of men went 
out into the country for supplies and brought in some corn meal, 
molasses and honey. 

Tuesday, nth — It snowed today and turned quite cool. Some 
troops marched past here on their way to St. Louis. 

Wednesday, 12th — Our mail goes east every day at 11 a. m. 
and comes in from the east at night. This is a cold night. 

Thursday, 13th — It snowed some today, and we all stayed 
close in our quarters, as the weather was so disagreeable. It is 
a very cold night. 

Friday, 14th — This is Valentine's Day and some of the boys 
are having a great time sending out valentines to the girls in 
this locality ; others are sending valentines to their old home 
sweethearts. 



IN WINTER QUARTERS AND GARRISON DUTY 33 

(February, 1862) 

Saturday, 15th — We received a very large mail from home 
today. The papers say that General Grant has taken Fort Henry, 
on the Tennessee river. 

Sunday, 16th — The weather is warm and pleasant. It is re- 
ported that Fort Donelson with several thousand prisoners has 
been taken by General Grant. 

Monday, 17th — This is a very beautiful morning-. The good 
news came that Grant has really taken Fort Donelson. Lieu- 
tenant Compton called out the company with arms, and we fired 
a feu de joie to celebrate the victory. 

Tuesday, 18th — It is cloudy and quite cool. News came that 
Fort Henry has been taken and we fired a feu de joie. Some of 
the boys are afraid that the war will be over before we have a 
chance to have the honor of being in a battle. 

Wednesday, ipth — News came that Roanoke Island has been 
taken by our men. It is reported that our company will leave 
for California, Missouri, in three or four days and all are rejoic- 
ing that our stay here is about over. 

Thursday, 20th — No news of importance. Grant's recent vic- 
tories have made the Union sentiment stronger in this locality, 
which will be a big help to the few Union men left here. 

Friday, 21st — We are to bid goodby to Lookout Station to- 
morrow. Some of the good people living here are sorry to see 
us go. May they have success for their loyalty to the Union 
cause. 

Saturday, 22d — This is Washington's birthday. We packed 
our knapsacks early this morning and left Lookout for Califor- 
nia, arriving at 2 p. m. The roads were quite muddy. In camp 
again at California, Missouri. We pitched our tents on the com- 
mons south of town. 

Sunday, 23d — We attended church today at the different 
churches in town, some of the boys going to the Catholic church. 
We had prayer meeting in camp in the evening. 

Monday, 24th — Nothing of importance. Our company now 
has a company cook. He cooks the beans and salt beef for all, 
but each man draws his rations every five days, makes his own 
coffee and cooks his salt bacon to suit himself. 

Tuesday, 25th — No news of any importance. There is some 



34 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(February, 1862) 

talk of our having to stay at this place all summer. We have 
company drill twice a day and with the other four companies of 
our regiment here now, have dress parade at 5 p. m. 

Wednesday, 26th — Nothing of importance. We are in a regu- 
lar tented camp here, and it seems more like being in the army 
than it did at Lookout Station. 

Thursday, 27th — There are no hopes of leaving this place. 
We cleaned up for inspection and muster tomorrow. The five 
companies of the Eleventh which went to Fulton, Missouri, last 
December, are still at that place. 

Friday, 28th — We had company inspection with all accouter- 
ments on ready for a march, and the regiment was then mustered 
for pay. Thus this month ends, finding us at California, Mis- 
souri. 

MARCH, 1862. 

Saturday, ist — It is very cold with a strong northwest wind 
blowing. We drilled with our overcoats on for the first time, 
and even then we could not keep warm. 

Sunday, 2d — It is still getting colder. The ground is frozen 
and we have no fires in the tents — the men are suffering day and 
night from the cold. Had company inspection this morning. 

Monday, 3d — It is turning a little warmer. There are just 
a few of the boys in the hospital here and they are well cared 
for ; their bedding is kept nice and clean and their food is well 
cooked. 

Tuesday, 4th — Nothing of importance. 

Wednesday, 5th — Company E had prayer meeting this even- 
ing in a vacant room close by their quarters. It is reported that 
we are to leave for the South in two or three days. The war 
has certainly struck this place a hard blow. There are many va- 
cant houses and most of the storerooms are standing empty. 
There are but few men left in town, most of them having gone 
to war. Families are divided, each member having gone to the 
army of his choice ; there are fathers against sons and brothers 
against brothers. They are so determined for the side they take 
that many are killed in the neighborhood by their neighbors, and 
some even by members of their own families. 



IN WINTER QUARTERS AND GARRISON DUTY 35 

(March, 1862) 

Thursday, 6th — No news of importance. 

Friday, 7th — Orders came for us to get ready to leave for St. 
Louis, and everybody is happy. Drill was discontinued for the 
day. 

Saturday, 8th — The boys are in fine spirits because we have 
orders to leave. All are at work getting ready — some are mend- 
ing their shirts, pants or coats, others their socks or shoes, or 
anything which needs fixing up before leaving for the South. 



36 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(March, 1862) 



Chapter V. 

Mobilization at Pittsburg Landing and the Battle of Shiloh. 

March 9-April 20. 

Sunday, pth — Had a cold rain all day. There was no church 
for us today. The quartermaster with a detail of men loaded 
some of the supplies on open cars, the wagons being taken apart 
and loaded. The mules and horses were put in the stock cars. 
The cars came for us about 9 p. m. and we finished loading about 
midnight and left for Jefferson City, some of the men in box cars 
and others in open cars with the baggage. 

Monday, 10th — We arrived at Jefferson City about daylight. 
Our regiment came together here this morning after being sep- 
arated since the 226. of last December. We left for St. Louis 
about 8 a. m.. our train being made up of almost every kind of 
car known, and arrived about 3 p. m. We went aboard the 
"Great Western." 

Tuesday, nth — We lay at the wharf all night, loading the 
quartermaster's supplies. At 8 a. m. we left St. Louis for Cairo, 
Illinois. Our entire regiment is on the one boat, a side-wheeler. 
Company E is quartered on the hurricane deck, and a cold wind 
blowing makes it rather disagreeable for us. We lay up for the 
night one hundred miles below St. Louis. We have big times 
getting our rations cooked, for there is but one place to get boil- 
ing water to make coffee, and only one place at the fire where 
we can broil our bacon. Each man slices his bacon, puts it on 
the ramrod, and holds it close to the fire under the boilers. We 
all have to take our turn, and since there are eight hundred men, 
there is some one at the fire all day and part of the night. The 

captain of the boat declared that we were "the d st set of 

men to eat" that he had ever seen in his life. 

Wednesday, 12th — We started again on our voyage at day- 
light. A high cold wind was blowing all day. We landed at 
Cape Girardeau, Missouri, remaining there for a short time, and 
then proceeded on our journey, arriving at Cairo, Illinois, at 2 
p. m., where we waited for further orders. Late in the afternoon 



PITTSBURG LANDING— BATTLE OF SHILOH 37 

(March, 1862) 

we received orders to go up the Tennessee river and left Cairo 
about sundown. At Cairo there are gunboats and a large number 
of transports loaded with troops, and provisions for the army up 
along the Tennessee river. 

Thursday, 13th— We stopped at Paducah, Kentucky, a short 
time and then early this morning came up the river to Fort Henry, 
arriving in the afternoon. There are about twenty transports at 
this place, loaded with troops. Fort Henry is a dilapidated 
place. The Tennessee river is very high, the water being out 
over the banks, and the lowlands are flooded for miles on both 
sides of the river. 

Friday, ztfhr-We left Fort Henry at dark last night, going 
on up the 'river, and arrived at Savannah, Tennessee, this after- 
noon. The river seems to be lined with transports loaded with 
troops going up-stream. There are two gunboats in our fleet, 
also two tugboats and several barges. 

Saturday, 15th— It rained all day. It seems so dark and 
gloomy. We lay on the boats all day, but we are expecting to 
receive orders to go on up the river. Boats loaded with troops 
are passing us and going on up to Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee. 

Sunday, i6th—We are still lying on the boats waiting for 
orders. Two gunboats came down from Pittsburg Landing. The 
weather is very disagreeable, with rain every day and rather cold 

besides. 

Monday, ////i-W'e received orders to disembark in the morn- 
ing and everybody is rejoicing, for it is getting very tiresome on 
the boats— we have been on the boats seven days now. Details 
of men worked nearly all day at unloading our commissariat. 
The landing place is nothing but a jelly of mud— there are so 
many mules, horses and men passing back and forth. 

Tuesday, i8th—We left the boats and marched out about two 
miles from Savannah. We pitched our tents near a big orchard. 
Details of men went to the timber with teams to get firewood for 
our camp. 

Wednesday, 19th— There are about ten thousand men of all 
arms in camp at this place. We are expecting marching orders 
every day. Our camp is on high ground, but there has been so 
much rain that the water stands on the surface. We cut brush 
and place it on the ground in our tents to lie on at night. 



38 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(March, 1862) 

Thursday, 20th — It is cloudy, chilly and very disagreeable 
weather. A great many of the boys are getting sick with the 
chills and fever, and the doctors are no account. We have no 
drill nor dress parade ; we seem to be just stopping here in the 
mud. Troops are passing here every day going up the river. The 
boys are getting anxious for a fight. 

Friday, 21st — It is cloudy and cold. Captain Chambers' bat- 
tery of six guns arrived today. Orders came for us to embark 
at once, and we struck our tents and got ready to start. After 
waiting six hours for the order to fall in, the order was counter- 
manded and we had to pitch our tents again. 

Saturday, 22d — It is disagreeable weather — a cold rain from 
the north. The Thirteenth Iowa started to Pittsburg Landing, 
about ten miles up the river. The Eleventh Iowa is expecting 
marching orders any time. 

Sunday, 23d — The Eleventh Iowa received marching orders, 
and we struck our tents and got on board the "Westmoreland." 
The quartermaster had all of the commissariat on the boat by 
noon and we left for Pittsburg Landing. We reached the land- 
ing at dark and remained on the boat for the night. 

Monday, 24th — We disembarked and marched out about a 
mile and a half from the landing, where we pitched our tents. 
Our camp is located in what is called Jones' Field. 

Tuesday, 25th — We had company drill twice today. We have 
a fine drill ground. Our water here is good, there being several 
springs a short distance to the east and to the west of our camp. 
The camp of the Thirteenth Iowa is on our left, while to our right 
are the Eighth and Eighteenth Illinois. These three regiments 
with ours, the Eleventh Iowa, form the First Brigade of the First 
Division of the Army of the Tennessee, under the command of 
Maj. Gen. John A. McClernand. Col. Abraham M. Hare of our 
regiment is in command of the brigade. Dresser's battery of 
six guns is encamped just in front of the Eleventh Iowa. 

Wednesday, 26th — The weather is getting very warm. We 
have plenty of firewood near by for the cooking, and running 
water a short distance away where we do our washing once a 
week. 

Thursday, 27th — It is warm and dry today. The trees are 



PITTSBURG LANDING— BATTLE OF SHILOH 39 

(March, 1862) 

beginning to leaf out. Troops are arriving every day and going 
into camp all along the roads about two and a half miles from 
the Landing. 

Friday, 28th — It is warm and dry — it is delightful. There 
is nothing of importance going on. Our camp is well protected 
on the left by the Tennessee river and by Owl creek on our right 
flank. Most of the camp ground lies high and just rolling enough 
to keep the ground dry. Our camp — the First Brigade of the 
First Division — lies almost due north and south, so arranged for 
the purpose of giving the brigade a good drill and parade ground. 
The camps of the different brigades, all through the woods, face 
in any desired direction, except the regiments out in front, which 
are so arranged as to be facing the enemy should they have to 
form a line of battle. 

Saturday, 29th — A large detail from the brigade was sent to 
cut and clear away some timber between Jones' Field and a small 
field just to the south, so as to throw the two fields together, mak- 
ing it possible for the First Division to form a continuous line to 
be reviewed by the commanding general of the army. General 
Grant. Companies A, B and C received Belgian rifles today for 
their old muskets. 

Sunday, 30th — This is our first Sunday in camp in the "Sunny 
South." We had company inspection with all accouterments on, 
by the colonel of our regiment, Colonel Hare. 

Monday, 31st — Our regular drills are : Company drill from 
10 to 11 a. m., battalion drill from 3 to 5 p. m., and dress parade 
at 5 p. m. We have a splendid drill ground in a large field. Re- 
ceived orders to get ready for review by General Grant tomorrow 
morning at 10 o'clock. 

The country around here is quite rough and the soil is very 
poor. There is a great deal of gravel and there are some rocks, 
but the soil works very easily. The timber here is mostly white 
oak. 

APRIL, 1862. 

Tuesday, 1st — Our Division, the First, was reviewed this fore- 
noon by General Grant and Maj. Gen. J. A. McClernand. While 
the review was in progress three men were seen on the roofs of 



40 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(April, 1862) 

two small log houses at the southern end of Jones' Field, taking 
notes on our maneuvers, the number of men in line, etc. They 
were dressed in butternut suits although, it is said, they had 
claimed to be Union men ; yet when the review was ended no 
trace of them could be found. 

Wednesday, 2d — It rained all day and we had no drill. The 
men remained in the tents, reading the Bible, magazines and 
papers, or writing letters home. 

Thursday, 3d — We had drill as usual today and also general 
review, by General McClernand. We have no guard duty at this 
camp, but the troops of the front camps have to keep out a strong 
picket line. 

Friday, 4th — It rained and hailed this afternoon, and by night 
it got very warm. We were ordered under arms at 6 p. m., and 
we formed a hollow square on the parade ground. We remained 
in line until 10 o'clock, when we were ordered back to our tents. 
It was reported out in front that the rebels were advancing in 
force from Corinth, but at 10 o'clock the word came that they 
had bivouacked for the night. 

Saturday, 5th — We had company drill this morning as usual. 
Lieutenant Compton took the company out on the drill ground 
this afternoon for company drill, and he said: "Now, boys, we 
drill in earnest for an hour, then return to our quarters, put away 
our rifles, and then to the branch for bathing." It was warm, 
but the men all went into it and after a hard drill we had a good 
wash-off in the branch. 1 

Sunday, 6th — The long roll sounded about half-past seven in 
the morning, and at once we formed a line of battle on the regi- 
mental parade ground. At about 8 o'clock we were ordered to 
the front, and marching out in battle line, about one-half mile, 
we met the rebels at Water Oaks Pond. Dresser's battery was 
just in front of our regiment, we acting as a support to it. The 
rebels came up on our right, compelling us to fall back about 
eighty rods to our second position, where we remained until we 
were again flanked, when we fell back to within about one hun- 
dred yards of our parade ground, where we lay down on the brow 

a This was the last time that Lieutenant Compton ever drilled our 
company, for the poor fellow was killed in the battle on the next day, 
Sunday, a little after noon. He was a fine drillmaster, and kind to his 
men, especially to those who tried to do their duty. — A. G. D. 



PITTSBURG LANDING— BATTLE OF SHILOH 41 

(April, 1862) 

of a hill awaiting the approach of the rebels in front. While in 
this position, Thomas Hains of Company E took off his hat, placed 
it upon his ramrod, and holding it up, shouted to the boys along 
the line to see what a close call he had had while out in front, for 
a minie-ball had passed through the creased crown of his hat, 
making four holes. Before he could get his hat back on his head, 
a small shell burst over us and mortally wounded him. 

By this time the rebels were marching right oblique, just in 
front of us, in double line of battle with their two stands of colors 
flying. By order we waited until we could look them in the eye 
and then rose up and fired a volley at close range into their ranks, 
throwing them into great confusion. We then made a bayonet 
charge, capturing one of their standards, and together with the 
Eleventh and the Twentieth Illinois Infantry we captured Cobb's 
battery and retook General McClernand's headquarters. In this 
charge Company E met its greatest loss of the day. 

My musket became so dirty with the cartridge powder, that 
in loading it the ramrod stuck fast and I could neither get it up 
nor down, so I put a cap on, elevated the gun and fired it off. 
But now I had no ramrod, and throwing down my musket, I 
picked up a Belgian rifle lying at the side of a dead rebel, 
unstrapped the cartridge box from his body, and advanced to our 
company, taking my place with the boys. While in this position 
I witnessed a wonderful sight — thickly-flying musket balls. I 
have never seen hail falling thicker than the minie balls were fly- 
ing in the air above us, though too high to do any harm. Our 
ammunition soon ran out and the entire regiment was ordered to 
the rear to replenish our cartridge boxes. 

When leaving with my company for the rear to restock our 
ammunition supply, I passed a severely-wounded boy (a stranger 
to me) who begged me to help him to the rear and out of danger. 
I stooped down and let him put his arms around my neck, but 
finding that I could not rise up with him hanging on my neck, I 
assured him that he would be safe there among the logs, and 
explained that if I should stay with him, I would surely be taken 
a prisoner, so left the poor fellow to his fate. 

After filling our cartridge boxes, we again formed in line of 
battle close by the cavalry field and right in the midst of heavy 
brush timber. Here we remained for about two hours, when we 



42 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(April, 1862) 

were ordered by General Grant (in person) to a position on the 
extreme left of the Army of the Tennessee, in support of Dresser's 
battery, being placed in line by Webster of General Grant's staff, 
just to the left of the siege guns. Here we were engaged for more 
than two hours. The Fifty-fifth Illinois and the Fifty-fourth 
Ohio were placed to our left in support of two batteries hard by 
the river. Here about 5 o'clock in the evening, three regiments 
of Buell's army, just arriving, helped to repulse the fearful charge 
of the rebels. 

The Eleventh Iowa was taken from its brigade early in 
the morning and remained separated all day. Now with the end 
of the day's fight, and after dark, we retired a few rods distant 
from our last line of action and without food or shelter bivouacked 
for the night, lying down on the wet ground in the rain. 

This was our first battle and our company was hard hit, our 
losses being as follows : Killed, Lieut. John F. Compton, Serg. 
Ezra McLoney, John R. Buckman, George Croak, Thomas M. 
Hains and Carlton Frink ; mortally wounded, George W. Sim- 
mons and John W. Dwiggans ; severely wounded, Elmore Chris- 
man and John T. Rice. 1 About ten other boys were slightly 
wounded. 

Monday, 7th — It rained all night. The battle was renewed 
this morning at 6 o'clock, by our forces under General Buell. 
The Eleventh Iowa formed and marched forward with parts of 
broken regiments, in support of the left center of Buell's army, 
whenever needed. It was very trying for us thus to stand in 
line of battle, shells exploding over our heads and cutting off 
limbs of trees, spent minie balls flying all about us, yet not being 
able to get into action, because of the line of battle just in front 
of us. The rebels were fighting desperately, but falling back 
all the while with great slaughter of men. About 3 p. m. the 
rebels in front of us began to retreat, with Buell's army after 
them, but we remained in line. About an hour later the report 
came that the rebels had left the field, and we were ordered back 
to our camp in Jones' Field, arriving there about dark. We had 
not been in our tents since Sunday morning and they were still 
standing, but a great many had been hit and badly torn by shells 
and minie balls. We found the body of a rebel soldier 

'Rice finally died on April 19th, from the effects of the wound and 
typhoid fever. — A. G. D. 



PITTSBURG LANDING— BATTLE OF SHILOH 43 

(April, 1862) 

lying - in my tent ; he had been wounded and apparently had gone 
in, crawled between our bunks and bled to death. We carried 
the body out to the parade ground and then got a shovel to clean 
away the blood from the place where the body had lain in the tent. 

Tuesday, 8th — We formed a line of battle early this morning 
and remained in line about two hours. 1 So many men through- 
out the camp were firing off their loaded rifles, preparing to clean 
them, that the officers thought a battle was in progress out in 
front. About 9 o'clock word came in from the front that there 
was no rebel in sight, and we were ordered back to our quarters. 
We spent the day in burying the dead, both our own and those 
of the rebels. 

Our battle line had been at the south end of Jones' Field, 
where a few days before we had cleared the timber for a review 
ground. This place was fought over so often by both armies 
and the dead lay so close that one could walk on dead bodies for 
some distance without touching the ground. There were over 
three thousand five hundred dead on the battlefield, and some- 
thing like five hundred dead horses. Seven hundred bodies of 
the rebels were put into one grave. It is an awful sight to see 
the dead lying all about. It rained this forenoon, but cleared 
off this afternoon. The heavy rains have soaked the ground, 
making it very muddy. About five thousand of our forces ar- 
rived today. 

Wednesday, Qth — Fifteen hundred more of our troops arrived. 
We are still burying the dead. It rained again today. The 
ground is so thoroughly soaked that it is difficult to dig the graves 
deep enough and keep out the water. We bury our dead by com- 
panies, all of one company in one grave, and if only one of a 
company is killed, the body is placed in a grave by itself. The 
bodies of the rebels' dead are placed side by side in long graves. 
The carcasses of horses are removed by burning them. 

Thursday, 10th — We are still burying the dead. The lieu- 
tenant of Company F was buried today. Nearly all of the dead 

J It has been said by some that from General Grant down to the 
commonest private in the ranks of the entire Army of the Tennessee, 
all the men cared for on Monday afternoon, the second day of the battle 
of Shiloh, was to get back to their camps. I cannot believe the state- 
ment, for on Tuesday, the 8th, when we were ordered into line of battle, 
on that gloomy, rainy morning, and a cold wind blowing from the north- 
west, I know by the sentiment of the boys in my own company, that 
they would have gone to the front then if ordered to do so. We felt 
that the loss in our company was too great not to follow up the vic- 
tory. — A. G. D. 



44 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(April, 1862) 

have been buried now, but there are some of the wounded still 
dying. I was detailed with two others to bury three of the 
rebels' dead. We went out about a half mile north of the camp 
to a stony knoll where one body lay, and worked all forenoon, the 
ground being so hard and stony, to dig even a shallow grave 
into which we rolled the body and covered it the best we could. 
In the afternoon we dug a double grave for two who had died 
of mortal wounds. 

Friday, nth — It rained all day. Troops have been arriving 
by the thousands every day since Sunday. 

Saturday, 12th — It is still raining every hour and the floors 
of our tents are very wet. 1 Our camp has become very muddy, 
which, with constant rain and the braying of mules day and night, 
makes it a very gloomy time. 

Sunday, 13th — It is clear and warm today. We had battalion 
drill again, twice today. Not more than two hundred of the regi- 
ment are fit for duty. Major Abercrombie, who drilled us, gave 
us a lecture about getting out to drill. He assured us that the 
battle we just had would be classed as a skirmish in comparison 
with what we would have to go through with before this war 
is over. The boys declared that if he called this battle a skir- 
mish, they would like to know what he called a real battle. 2 

Monday, 14th — We had inspection of arms this forenoon. 
Most of the boys in our company picked up rifles from the battle- 
field and got better rifles than they had. But it makes it quite 
difficult for the quartermaster to supply the extra ammunition re- 
quired for the different kinds of rifles. The weather is quite 
warm. 

Tuesday, 15th — There's nothing of importance. 
Wednesday, 16th — No news of importance. 3 

'We had not yet learned how to take care of our health, for in place 
of raising our tents from the ground and building our bunks about 
eighteen inches high, as we did in later camps, we just laid down our 
rubber ponchos on the bare ground, covered this with a blanket, then 
lay down with another blanket for a cover. Our bedding thus was often 
damp, and it is no wonder that so many of the boys became subject to 
fevers and rheumatism. — A. G. D. 

2 Major Abercrombie's words were quite true, as we found out later 
by experience. — A. G. D. 

:i There was much discussion among the men over the great battle 
we had just been through, the battle of Shiloh. The question why the 
Confederates lost the battle, I should answer as follows: First, they 
were four hours late in making the general attack on that Sunday 
morning. The Confederate generals, instead of sending some of their 
staff officers before daylight to spy out and report to the commanding 
general what they had seen (according to a report of H. C. Lockett of 



PITTSBURG LANDING— BATTLE OF SHILOH 45 

(April, 1862> 

Thursday, i/th — The day is fair. Had battalion drill again. 
Friday, 18th — No news of importance. 1 

Saturday, iQth — Nothing of importance. Everything appears 
to be so lonesome. 

Sunday, 20th — John T. Rice, a member of Company E, Elev- 
enth Iowa, was buried this afternoon with military honors.- He 
died of his wound accompanied with fever. Three other men 
who died of disease were also buried today. We learned that 
Wilson Simmons of Company E died of lung fever on the 15th 
at Mound City, Illinois. 



General Bragg's staff), should have had their first line of battle at the 
Union picket line by that time, and then charging our pickets and com- 
ing in upon the first camps, they could have captured them before they 
could have dressed; then pushing on to the other commands, they could 
have put them to rout before they could have formed a line of battle. 
But their being so late in making the first attack gave our commanders 
time to form into line. As it was, whenever the Confederates advanced 
our forces were in shape to fire volleys into them and easily throw them 
into confusion, thus making their advance slower and more irregular 
during the day. 

In the second place, the Confederates starting four hours late in 
the morning made them more than six hours late in the afternoon, so 
in place of being ready to make their last charge of the day at 1 o'clock 
they did not make it until almost 7 o'clock in the evening. By that 
time it was too late, since the Union generals had formed a strong line 
of artillery, supported by all the infantry, who stood loyally by their 
colors. Then, just before the final charge, one brigade of Buell's army 
had alreadv arrived and formed in line, and the day was forever lost to 
the Confederates. — A. G. D. 

'While the battle of Shiloh was a Union victory, nevertheless it 
was dearly won, and could easily have been a defeat. Even at that 
time the men in discussing it, pointed out some of the mistakes made 
by the Union forces. I wish to point out how the day at Shiloh was 
almost lost to the Union Army. In the first place, when the different 
commanders called out the troops under arms at 6 o'clock on Friday 
evening, April 4th, they kept them in line until midnight, when, since 
the immediate danger was past, they ordered them to return to their 
quarters. Then it was that a great mistake was made, for instead of 
sending the men back to camp, they should have been put to work, 
every man with shovel, pick or axe, digging trenches, throwing up 
breastworks and fortifying their camps. Thus by the morning of the 
6th they would have had two or three lines of works. That this was 
not done must of course be charged to General Sherman. Each man 
behind the works would have been equal to five men in the open. Gen- 
eral Prentiss' men, protected in the old, sunken roadway, in making 
their attack upon us, proved the worth of a man protected, to one out 
in the open. The mistake cost the Union army more than* a thousand 
men, besides those captured. 

In the second place, when the Union army was attacked on that 
Sunday morning, there were but four regiments in line of battle and 
ready for the assault of the Confederates. The officers did not succeed 
in forming a continuous line of battle until late in the day. Regiments 
and brigades would march to the front and form in line, but they were 
usually unsupported by troops on the right and left at the same time. 
This enabled the Confederates to come in on the flanks and the rear, 
thus compelling our forces to fall back or be captured. This continued 
till late in the afternoon, when Webster succeeded in forming a con- 
tinuous line of artillery, supported by all arms. This, together with 
the arrival of Buell's brigade, which formed a line on the left, saved 
the day to the Union cause for all time to come. — A. G. D. 

2 Rice was buried in the Shiloh National Cemetery, Pittsburg Land- 
ing, Tennessee, his grave being 175, Section 9. — A. G. D. 



46 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(April, 1862) 



Chapter VI. 
The Battles in and Around Corinth. April 21 -July 27. 

Monday, 21st — Our camp is becoming more unhealthy all the 
time, and the odor from the battlefield at times is very disagree- 
able. This is the result of the heavy rains followed by warm 
weather. 

Troops are arriving here every day and going on to the front. 
The army is advancing on Corinth, Mississippi, and we hear that 
there is almost continuous skirmishing between the outposts of 
the two armies. 

Tuesday, 22d — It is quite pleasant again after some rain — 
thunder showers. The wheat fields are looking fine. 

Wednesday, 23d — We have company drill twice a day and 
more of the boys are getting out again for drill. The artillery 
men are receiving fresh horses to replace those killed in the battle. 
The weather is beginning to get very warm. 

Thursday, 24th — No news of importance. 

Friday, 25th — We struck our tents early this morning and 
marched about three miles to the southwest, and went into camp 
again, camp No. 2. We were brigaded over again. It rained 
all day. 

Saturday, 26th — Our regiment is now brigaded with Iowa 
soldiers, the brigade being completed today. Our brigade is com- 
posed of the Eleventh, Thirteenth, Fifteenth and Sixteenth Iowa 
Infantries, with Colonel Crocker in command. 1 We were in- 
spected today by the general inspector of the army, and had all 
our accouterments on. 

Sunday, 27th — Today we had company inspection. We had 
to go to work and clean up our camp and parade ground. The 
camp is in the timber. The water is very scarce and poor at that. 

Monday, 28th — We had company drill at 9 a. m. The weather 
is getting very warm ; the sun shines hot, and we are sweeping 

!The brigade dating from April 2 7, 1862, became known as "Crock- 
er's Iowa Brigade." It remained together throughout the war and 
maintains an organization to this day. — A. G. D. 



THE BATTLES IN AND AROUND CORINTH 47 

(April, 1862) 

our camp with brush brooms. We are being- kept quite active, 
the doctors, we hear, having told the officers that the men would 
have better health if kept at work. 

7 uesday, 29th — We received orders this afternoon to march 
out towards Purdy, about twelve miles, to be in readiness as a 
supporting column to General Wallace in command of the right. 
He was expecting to be attacked by the rebels and sent for re- 
inforcements. We went in light marching order without knap- 
sacks, and we have to lie on our arms at night. 

Wednesday, 30th — We were routed from our beds of leaves 
at 4 o'clock and moved on two miles farther in the direction of 
Purdy, when we received word from General Wallace that we 
were not needed. We marched back to camp, arriving here about 
noon, in a heavy rainstorm, soaked to the skin and covered with 
mud. We had lain all night with rifle in hand, in a heavy tim- 
ber, on beds of leaves, without blankets, and some of the boys 
caught cold. The Eleventh Iowa was inspected today for pay. 
Thus ends this month in old Tennessee. 

MAY, 1862. 

Thursday, 1st — We received marching orders, and striking 
our tents moved four miles further toward Corinth. All of the 
Sixth Division moved forward today. We went to work and 
cleaned up our camp in a heavy piece of timber. This is camp 
number 3. 

Friday, 2d — It is warm and pleasant. The water is very 
scarce at this camp and poor in quality. We hear the sound of 
cannon in the front every day. The Sixth Division is in the sec- 
ond line of battle, but we are building no fortifications, as we are 
moved from right to left, as the case may be, in support of either 
wing of the army whenever reinforcements are called for. 

Saturday, 3d — We struck our tents and at 7 a. m. started in 
the direction of Corinth. After marching eight miles we pitched 
our tents for camp number 4. All of the sick boys have been 
sent to the hospital set up at camp number 2, which we left a 
few days ago. General Pope has taken Farmington, out to the 
left of our army. There was some very heavy cannonading this 
afternoon. 



48 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(May. 1862) 

Sunday, 4th — It rained nearly all day. We received orders to 
cook four days' rations and be ready to march at a moment's no- 
tice. Henry L. Sweet of our company died of fever this morning 
at the Division hospital. 

Monday, 5th — Nothing of importance. We did not get orders 
to move, so we had our regular drills today. 

Tuesday, 6th — We had battalion drill this afternoon. News 
came that Yorktown has been taken. New troops are still ar- 
riving and our lines are being extended to the right and left. 
A second line is supporting the artillery in the front line and the 
second line's flanks are supported by the cavalry. 

Wednesday, 7th 1 — We struck tents this morning, and moving 
three miles around to the right, cleared away the heavy timber 
and brush for our camp number 5. Our camp is just at the edge 
of the vacated breastworks of the rebels, they having lost them 
by being outflanked by our forces. Lieutenant Anderson of Com- 
pany A returned from home today, having been on furlough. 

Thursday, 8th — It is very warm today. Our major drilled 
us — the regiment — in the manual of arms. Company E went out 
in the evening to reinforce the pickets. 

Friday, gth — We heard some very heavy firing off to the left 
towards Farmington. General Pope was compelled to fall back 
from Farmington, but has again taken the town. 

Saturday, 10th — The Eleventh Iowa went out today to rein- 
force pickets again. Our cavalry had quite a skirmish with the 
rebel pickets out on the flanks while driving them in. 

Sunday, nth — The Iowa Brigade moved two miles to the 
right, nearer to Corinth, and some of our boys came in upon the 
rebel pickets. We established another camp — camp number 6. 
The Eleventh Iowa was relieved from picket duty this evening. 

Monday, 12th' 2 — Batallion drill today. Sixteen of the boys of 
our regiment failed to appear for the drill and later they were 
put into a squad by themselves under an officer and put through 
the drill until dark — that was their punishment for disobeying 
orders. 

'John W. Dwiggans of Company E, who was severely wounded at 
the battle of Shiloh, died on this day at Padueah, Kentucky. — A. G. D. 

2 On this day George T. Willcott of Company E died of fever in Scott 
County, Iowa, and George W. Simmons died of his wounds at Tipton, 
Iowa. This makes Company E's loss in the battle of Shiloh, nine — six 
killed and three dying" of their wounds. — A. G. D. 



THE BATTLES IN AND AROUND CORINTH 49 

(May, 1862) 

Tuesday, 13th — We received marching orders this forenoon, 
and striking our tents at noon, started off towards the right. We 
marched four miles and went into camp — camp number 7. There 
was some skirmishing with the pickets today. 

Wednesday, 14th — We cleaned up our camp today and had 
company drill twice. There was some heavy musketry firing on 
the front lines, and the artillery was in action on both sides, but 
not much damage was done. 

Thursday, 15th — We were expecting to be attacked today by 
the rebels' making a charge on our front line and were ordered 
to fall in with two days' rations in our haversacks. We marched 
out about a mile, and forming a line of battle, remained there till 
dark — about six hours — when we moved toward the right wing 
and up to camp. The entire right wing of the army has moved 
around farther to the right. 

Friday, 16th — Nothing of importance has taken place today, 
but I think we will have a fight soon. We have plenty of rations, 
but the drinking water is very poor. The health of the men is 
better, however, since we have become more active, and the men 
are getting back their old-time vigor. Some of the boys who 
have been sick are now returning to the regiment. Major Aber- 
crombie is in command of the regiment while Colonel Hare and 
Lieutenant-Colonel Hall are at home recovering from wounds re- 
ceived at Shiloh. 

Saturday, 17th — We were ordered to strike tent and march 
out to the picket line and form in line of battle. Here we re- 
mained in line until after dark. There was heavy cannonading 
and musketry firing all along the line and it continued all day. 
We pitched our tents in a heavy piece of timber and established 
camp number 8, in our siege of Corinth. 

Sunday, 18th — Our brigade threw up four miles of fortifica- 
tions, earthworks, and also forts for the artillery. We were ex- 
pecting to be attacked by the rebels' making an effort to turn 
our right flank, so we were in line of battle all day. The pick- 
ets have been fighting all day, for the only action taken by the 
rebels was trying to drive in our pickets. 

Monday, ipth — We were ordered to strike our tents and move 
to the right, but just as we were ready to fall into line, the order 



50 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(May, 1862) 

was countermanded and we were ordered to go to throwing up 
breastworks. It was reported that the rebels were going to 
come out of their breastworks and attack us. The pickets were 
fighting all day, and there was brisk skirmishing and cannonad- 
ing all along the front. Our entire picket line has been reinforced 
by extra men. 

Tuesday, 20th — Things are a little more quiet today, the can- 
nonading not being so brisk, although the skirmishers are keeping 
up a lively firing all along the line. 

Wednesday, 21st — The right wing moved up closer upon the 
fortifications of the rebels and although they tried to drive our 
men back, they failed in the attempt. There is very heavy can- 
nonading and skirmishing. The left wing of our army is under 
command of General Pope. The earthworks between the two 
armies are getting very close to each other. 

Thursday, 22d — Things were a little more quiet this forenoon, 
but there was some very heavy cannonading off on the left flank 
this afternoon. Skirmishing is still going on between the pick- 
ets. There are not many men being killed on either side, since 
they are well protected by their respective fortifications ; it is when 
they have to advance on skirmish in the open that they suffer 
losses. 

Friday, 23d — We formed a line of battle at 4 o'clock this 
morning, but the rebels did not make their expected attack. The 
army generally now forms a line of battle every morning at 4 
and remains in line until about 6 o'clock. It rained some today, 
and on account of the wet weather it was only at times that there 
was activity along the lines. 

Saturday, 24th — The Eleventh Iowa went out on picket at 5 
o'clock this evening. It was reported in camp that General 
Beauregard is moving all of his heavy ordnance and his entire 
army to the south with a view of evacuating Corinth. The re- 
port says that teams loaded with munitions of war are leaving 
Corinth every day. 

Sunday, 25th — We stood in line of battle out on picket all 
night, and were relieved at 9 o'clock this morning. There's a 
report in camp to the effect that General Pope is desirous of mov- 



THE BATTLES IN AND AROUND CORINTH 51 

(May, 1862) 

ing his command around by the left flank to get into the rear of 
Corinth and cut off the retreat of the rebels. General Halleck, 
however, would not give him permission, as he did not want to 
take any chances in allowing his army to be divided, thereby giv- 
ing the rebels the opportunity of attacking and defeating each 
part separately. It is estimated that Halleck has about one hun- 
dred thousand men in his command here about Corinth, and we 
hear that Beauregard has about the same number. 1 

Monday, 26th — It is very warm. Had company drill twice 
again today. There was very heavy cannonading off on the left 
flank. 

Tuesday, 2/th — Things are quiet all along the lines today. 
Our supplies and ammunition are hauled by team from Pittsburg 
Landing. We still draw our full army rations every five days. 

Wednesday, 28th — Some very hard fighting out on the right 
flank. Our men were driven back from their line, but rallied and 
regained the ground lost. In the mix-up we took some prisoners 
and there were some killed and wounded on both sides. 

Thursday, 2Qth — There was heavy cannonading today off on 
the left flank and the pickets are still fighting. General Pope cut 
the railroad and with the aid of the Second Iowa Cavalry burned 
a train of cars and took one thousand stand of arms. 

Friday, 30th — Corinth was evacuated during the night. Upon 
leaving, the rebels burned the depot and several houses, besides 
a large amount of other property, and also blew up their powder 
magazine. They burned some cars loaded with their own sup- 
plies which they could not get away because they had no engi- 
neers. At daylight General Pope with his force entered Corinth 
and then went in hot pursuit of the rebels. 

Saturday, 31st — There was still some fighting today with the 
fleeing rebels, and we took some prisoners, but the main part of 
the army had too much of a start on us. 

The Eleventh Iowa received four months' pay today. I drew 
$53.00. We had to make settlement at this time for all clothing 
purchased. 

'Beauregard had been reinforced and now had a force of 50,000. See 
Rhodes Vol. III. page 628. — Ed. 



52 DOWXIXG'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(June, 1862) 

JUNE, 1862. 

Sunday, 1st — It rained all day. I took "French leave" this 
morning and went into Corinth. The town appears to be de- 
serted and it is a dilapidated looking place, as so much of it has 
been destroyed. I found it to be a fine place, however, on high 
ground, and when rebuilt it will be beautiful. There are two 
railroads running through the town and there are good schools 
and a college. The country around is rich and the farms are 
well fenced. 

Monday, 2d — I was one of a hundred men detailed to clean 
up our camp ground. Pope's men who went in pursuit of the 
rebels are returning and going into camp in and around Corinth. 
I spent $1.00 for peaches and bread at the sutler's tent. 

Tuesday, 3d — The weather is very hot. We have no picket 
duty now, but get plenty of exercise by regular drills, having 
company drill twice a day. We also get exercise in keeping the 
camp clean ; have to sweep it every morning. 

Wednesday, 4th — Nothing of importance. Some of the troops 
are returning to Pittsburg Landing, a part of them to go down 
the Tennessee river and then up the Cumberland to reinforce the 
army in eastern Tennessee, and the others are to join the forces 
going down the Mississippi. 

Thursday, 5th — We received marching orders with one day's 
rations. It is reported that General Buell will move with the 
Army of the Ohio into central Tennessee. It is clear and hot 
today. 

Friday, 6th — W r e struck our tents and at 7 a. m. started on 
our march. We marched through Corinth and went into camp 
again about a mile northwest of town, making camp number 9. 
The Eleventh Iowa went out on picket. 

Saturday, /th — I stood out on picket all day. We were re- 
lieved from picket this evening about dark. We were posted in 
a heavy timber about two miles out, on one of the main roads 
leading to town. Water is very scarce and poor at that. We 
have to go a mile from camp for our drinking water, and to a 
branch the same distance to do our washing. 

Sunday, 8th — We received orders to clean up for inspection 
and a detail of men was put to work cleaning up the parade 



THE BATTLES IN AND AROUND CORINTH 53 

(June, 1862) 

ground. We have a fine drill ground out In a large field. But 
the camp being out in the open, the sun beats down pretty hot 
upon the tents. 

Monday, gth — It is dry and hot. We are at work building 
fortifications here on a large scale, Corinth being an important 
point for either army to hold, as it is the key to Mississippi and 
Alabama. The bulk of the Army of the Tennessee is left here, 
while detachments of the original hundred thousand under Hal- 
leck are being sent to other commands to act as reinforcements. 

Tuesday, ioth — It is dry and hot. I wrote a letter to father 
enclosing $50.00 of the $53.00 which I received from the Gov- 
ernment on May 31st, and in greenbacks at that. I had $1.86 
coming to me over and above the allowance the Government 
makes for clothing, which is $40.00 a year. 

Wednesday, nth — I was on guard today at General Todd's 
headquarters. The weather is very hot. The teams all went to 
the river for provisions. We are establishing a good camp at 
this place. We raised our wedge tents up from the ground and 
built bunks for our beds instead of lying down on the ground. 1 

Thursday, 12th — The farmers living about here are cutting 
their wheat ; .some have already begun stacking. Wheat here is 
good, with some especially fine fields, but some fields were en- 
tirely destroyed during the siege of Corinth. The corn is not as 
good on account of the cold, wet spring. 

Friday, 13th — It came the Eleventh Iowa's turn to go on pick- 
et today. The teams still have to go to Pittsburg Landing, twen- 
ty-two miles from Corinth, for provisions and ammunition for the 
army. 

Saturday, 14th — We came in from picket this morning, having 
been relieved by the Thirteenth Iowa. We do not have much 
idle time here, for besides keeping our camp and clothing clean, 
we have picket duty and fatigue duty on the fortifications. 

Sunday, 13th — There were five hundred men from the Sixth 
Division detailed to go out and cut down the timber in front of 
the fortifications around the camp. The trees are cut so as to 
make them fall outward toward the approach of an enemy ; the 
branches are then shaq^ened, making what is called an abatis. 

a This was the first time that we built bunks for our beds, raised up 
from the ground. — A. G. D. 



54 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(June, 1862) 

The trees in a space six hundred feet wide and twenty miles long 
are being felled. We had company inspection at 5 o'clock in the 
evening. 

Monday, 16th — It came my turn for the first time to go on 
fatigue. Our men are throwing up a line of breastworks and 
building some very strong forts. I worked all day at one of the 
big forts built for the siege guns. The fort is fifteen feet high, 
with a ditch in front fifteen feet wide and ten feet deep. At the 
top within each fort the guns will be mounted on a dirt platform 
about ten feet high so as to afford a good view in front. When 
the works are completed on this grand scale it will require one 
million men to defend them. 1 

Tuesday, 17th — It is very hot. Nothing of importance. 

Wednesday, 18th — It is very hot, but the troops are in fine 
spirits. Some of the boys who were wounded at Shiloh, together 
with those who went home on furloughs on account of sickness, 
are now returning to their commands. 

Thursday, igth — Drill is now all dispensed with on account of 
the hot weather. But the men are kept busy at fatigue and picket 
duty. 

Friday, 20th — Our regiment went out on picket this evening. 
Water is very scarce out on the picket line and so we have our 
canteens filled in the evening before we go out. 

Saturday, 21st — We were relieved this morning by the Thir- 
teenth Iowa. Some of the fruit in this locality is beginning to 
ripen and we will have some variety in our rations. 

Sunday, 22d — We had company inspection at 5 o'clock this 
evening. Our chaplain, John S. Whittlesey, died of diphtheria 
on May nth at Durant, Iowa, and our regiment has no chaplain 
at present. We have no services on Sunday now, except that 
some of the companies occasionally have prayer meetings. 

Monday, 23d — Nothing of importance. I went out to the 
branch a mile from camp to do my washing. Burtis Rumsey of 
our company has been sick for about two weeks and he begged 
me to take two of his shirts along and wash them for him, so I 

•These works were never completed, the commanding general hav- 
ing called off the work. It was a good thing that it was discontinued, 
for the heavy work during the hot weather would have greatly injured 
the men. — A. G. D. 



THE BATTLES IN AND AROUND CORINTH 55 

(June, 1862) 

did. I used a small camp kettle which the company cook has set 
aside for boiling clothes. Some of the boys in the company hire 
colored women to wash their clothes. I prefer to do my own 
washing. 

Tuesday, 24th — Our camp was inspected today by the brigade 
commander. Colonel Hare arrived in camp today. The boys 
were very glad to see him come back to the regiment. 

Wednesday, 25th — The weather is very hot today and our 
camp is becoming very dry and dusty. Twenty-seven men were 
detailed this morning to clean up our camp for general inspection. 

Thursday, 26th — The Eleventh Iowa went out on picket. The 
Third Brigade of the Sixth Division was inspected by the general 
inspector of the army. Men and camp both passed inspection 
quite satisfactorily. 

Friday, 27th — We were relieved from picket this morning by 
the Thirteenth Iowa. Blackberries are beginning to ripen and 
seem to be plentiful. Fresh fruit with our rations will lighten 
our work. 

Saturday, 28th — It rained this morning and the air is nice and 
cool. We worked most of the day cleaning up for another in- 
spection — polishing our shoes, belts, cartridge boxes and muskets, 
besides sweeping the camp ground. 

Sunday, 29th — We had inspection this morning at 8 o'clock 
by the general inspector. Colonel Hall and Captain McLoney ar- 
rived from home this morning. The Colonel had been wounded 
at Shiloh and went home to let the wound heal. Mrs. Hall is 
with the Colonel in camp and the men of the regiment have great 
respect for her; she is so kind to the sick in the regimental hos- 
pital. 

Monday, 30th — The Eleventh Iowa was mustered for pay this 
morning. The men all looked fine — well and clean. None had 
on ragged clothing and few were absent from the regiment on 
account of sickness. 

This ends June, with us in a good camp near Corinth, Mississ- 
ippi. 

JULY, 1862. 

Tuesday, 1st — Received orders to cook four days' rations and 
be ready to move at a moment's notice. W r e had everything in 



56 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(July, 1862) 

readiness when late in the evening the order was countermanded. 

Wednesday, 2d — I went out about a half mile from camp to 
pick blackberries, and I picked a gallon of them and sold them to 
the hospital steward for $1.25. 

Thursday, 3d — The Eleventh Iowa went out on picket duty. 
I was on guard at division headquarters, my post being in a large 
orchard, and my orders were to keep all soldiers out of it. 1 

Friday, 4th — The Eleventh Iowa came in from picket. The 
weather is very hot. This is my first Fourth of July in the army. 
Things appear so lonesome. The battery boys of our brigade 
took their battery of six guns out a short distance from camp and 
fired a salute to celebrate the day. 

Saturday, 3th — There is nothing of importance. Everything 
seems quite dull. There are but few whites left in Corinth and 
we seldom see white natives anywhere. There are some colored 
people in town, women and children, but the able-bodied men 
have all been taken off with the rebels. Some colored men are 
coming into camp from the plantations. 

Sunday, 6th — It is very hot today. We had company inspec- 
tion this morning. No news of importance. 

Monday, yth — No news of importance. We have to haul our 
water for the camp. The springs where we get our drinking 
water have become very low on account of the dry weather. Our 
quartermaster has to send the teams three miles distant for water. 
I went out about four miles to the south with a squad of men to 
slaughter some cattle and to bring in some fodder for the mules. 

Tuesday, 8th — The rebels in this locality are not making 
much of an effort to retake Corinth. The report in camp is that 
they have sent the greater part of their forces east to reinforce 
their army in and around Richmond. News came this evening 
that General McClellan has been whipped and is now retreating 
from Richmond. 

Wednesday, Qth — Nothing of importance today. Our regi- 
ment went out on picket again. Our picket line and reserve post 
are both in heavy timber and so we do not have to be in the hot 
sun while on duty. 

'Such orders soon got to be a joke with the men, they in a quiet 
way giving the commanding officers to understand that they did not 
go down South to protect Confederate property. In a short time all 
guards were taken from orchards or anything which the men wanted 
for food. — A. G. D. 



THE BATTLES IN AND AROUND CORINTH 57 

(July, 1862) 

Thursday, ioth — The regiment returned from picket this morn- 
ing at 8 o'clock, the Thirteenth coming out to relieve us. The 
roads are becoming very dusty and a regiment of men with a few 
mules can kick up a big dust. The soil is a sandy loam, and so 
fine and of such a color as to look like smoke from even a short 
distance. 

Friday, nth — Nothing of importance today. The weather is 
very warm. The entire army is engaged on the fortifications and 
in felling trees, and besides picket duty we have to keep the camp 
clean and our accouterments polished. Every man has his rifle 
in readiness. 

Saturday, 12th — We had company inspection again as usual. 
A good many negroes are coming into camp. Some of the men 
who are strong enough to work and who want to be free are 
given work on the fortifications. A number of the officers are 
adopting negro boys as servants, and some of the most intelligent 
boys are being sent North to be educated. 

Sunday, 13th — No news of importance. Some of the men oc- 
casionally get into religious discussions. There are two of them 
rather strong in the Universalist doctrine. One of them who 
reads the Bible a good bit got into a discussion today with some 
of the men. While some of the boys are church members in 
their homes, there are a good many who are not. 

Monday, 14th — The weather is very warm ; it is sweltering. 
I was detailed with a squad of men from our regiment under 
command of the quartermaster to go out with the trains to get 
some corn and fodder for the mules and horses. The Govern- 
ment has adopted the policy of paying for all material taken on 
a foraging expedition. But this is upon one condition only, viz. ; 
the quartermaster issues a requisition on the Secretary of War 
for all material taken, and then if the owner of the property can 
prove his loyalty to the Government, he will get his pay for the 
same ; if he cannot prove it, he will be classed as a rebel and will 
get nothing. 

Tuesday, 15th — No news from Richmond. 

Wednesday, 16th — Our regiment went out on picket. I went 
on camp guard. 

Thursday, 17th — It rained all last night and everybody is 
thankful, as it has become so dry and dusty. There are a few 



58 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(July, 1862) 

cases of sickness in our regiment, due to the extremely hot weath- 
er — a few cases of typhoid fever and some are suffering from 
chronic diarrhea. 

Friday, 18th — The weather is very hot. Colonel Hare took 
the regiment out on the drill ground for battalion drill, but we 
remained out only a half hour, since four or five men were over- 
come with the heat and had to be taken back to their tents. 

Saturday, ipth — Everything is very quiet. With the excep- 
tion of a few cases, the health of the men in camp is generally 
good. But the men are becoming restless. All would rather be 
in active service, for this camp service will never bring the war 
to a close. 

Sunday, 20th — Xo news of importance. The weather is very 
hot. We had company inspection this morning, after which, be- 
cause of the intense heat, the men remained in their tents. None 
were out during the day except those detailed on duty. 

Monday, 21st — It is very warm and dusty today. There are 
some fine orchards around Corinth and the apples and peaches 
are beginning to ripen now. Fresh fruit will help out our ra- 
tions and add freshness and variety. 

Tuesday, 22d — We removed our tents and had a general clean- 
up of the camp. We made brush brooms, took down all tents, 
swept the ground, then pitched our tents again. 

Wednesday, 23d — Our regiment is out on picket today. It 
rained all day. We seldom see any of the rebel cavalry in 
this locality, yet we always maintain a strong picket line so as 
not to be taken by surprise. We are expecting them to make 
a raid upon Corinth any time. 

Thursday, 24th — We were relieved from picket this morning 
by the Thirteenth. Wild fruit is becoming plentiful and while 
on picket we added quite a variety to our rations. 

Friday, 25th — The quartermaster drew some clothing today 
for our regiment. The regiment was out for drill today, with 
better success than the other day when it was so hot. 

Saturday, 26th — Nothing of importance. Much of our time 
in camp is taken up with the question of rations. During this hot 
weather the regular army rations are drawn, but the men use very 
little of the salt bacon. But the bacon being issued, the company 



THE BATTLES IN AND AROUND CORINTH 59 

(July, 1862) 

cook takes care of it and now has a wagon load of it stacked up 
beside his tent, anyone being permitted to go and help himself to 
it. At noon the company cook prepares the bean soup and cooks 
the pickled beef, after which he calls out for every man to come 
and get his portion. All the other rations are issued every five 
days, each man carrying his portion in his haversack. We have 
had no Irish potatoes issued for eight months now, but fresh beef 
we draw, sometimes twice a week, and it is cooked for us by the 
company cook. The rations are all of good quality with the 
exception of crackers, which at times are a little worm-eaten. 

Sunday, 2jth — We had regimental inspection this morning by 
Colonel Hare. We received orders to march in the morning. 
The Eleventh Iowa lost two men by disease while here in this 
camp — such is the penalty of camp life. 



60 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(July, 1862) 



Chapter VII. 
On Guard at Bolivar, Tennessee. July 28-September 11. 

Monday, 28th — We struck our tents and at sunup started on 
our march for Bolivar, Tennessee. Our guide took us on the 
wrong road and we countermarched about ten miles, thus not 
being far from our starting point. The guide was tied and taken 
back to Corinth. 1 It is very warm and the roads are dusty. Our 
road being on high ground, we found water very scarce, and 
what little we got was of poor quality. General Tuttle is in com- 
mand of our division, the Sixth. 

Tuesday, 2pth — We got on the right road and started at 8 
o'clock this morning. We marched twelve miles and bivouacked 
for the night. The weather is extremely hot and the roads are 
very dusty. Orlando Stout of Company E fell out of the ranks 
today, and getting too far behind, was taken prisoner. 

Wednesday, 30th — We camped on a large "secesh" plantation 
last night. The owner of it being a general in the rebel 
army, we made ourselves at home, killing all the cattle that we 
wanted and taking all the honey that we could carry away with 
us. We started at 8 o'clock this morning and marched fourteen 
miles, when we bivouacked for the night. 

Thursday, 31st — We started at 8 o'clock this morning and 
arrived at Bolivar at 12 o'clock noon. We went into camp two 
miles east of town on the banks of the Hatchie river. Our camp 
is in a fine piece of timber, well shaded. I was almost played out 
when we arrived in camp ; the weather being so hot, it was hard 
work to carry knapsack and accouterments and keep up with the 
company. Our officers are expecting to be attacked at this place 
and have put three or four hundred negroes to work throwing 
up breastworks. There is some very pretty land in this part of 
old Tennessee and there are some very nice farms. The timber 
here is chiefly of white oak, but there is some poplar and beech. 
Bolivar is a fine town and has one railroad. 

'I never learned what became of him. — A. G. D. 



ON GUARD AT BOLIVAR, TENNESSEE 61 

(August, 1862) 

AUGUST, 1862. 

Friday, 1st — All hands are at work cleaning up our camp. 
We have a very pretty camping ground right on the bank of the 
river. The entire Crocker Brigade is in this camp and is in com- 
mand of General Crocker. 

Saturday, 2d — I was detailed on brigade guard this morning, 
but was taken sick while at my post and was relieved at 11 a. m. 

Sunday, 3d — When the sick call was made this morning, I 
went to see the doctor for the first time. I was threatened with 
fever and the doctor gave me three "Blue Mass" pills and marked 
me off duty for three days. 

Monday, 4th — I slipped out today between two guards and 
going up the river about a mile to a bakery near a mill, I 
bought a dozen apple pies. I returned safely to camp and sold 
the pies to some of the boys for double what I paid for them. 
Orders are very strict against absence from camp, for it is re- 
ported that a large force of the rebels is in this locality, and 
they may charge upon our camp any time. 

Tuesday, 3th — The Eleventh Iowa drew two months' pay to- 
day. I received $26. We are able to purchase most any kind of 
goods needed, right here at Bolivar only two miles from camp. 

Wednesday, 6th — I went on guard again. The boys are hav- 
ing high times today ; all having plenty of money, they are mak- 
ing it lively in camp. But those on guard duty are having hard 
work because of the hot weather; for with dress coat buttoned 
up, all accouterments strapped on, and carrying musket at right 
shoulder shift, one can easily see what warm work it is walking 
the beat. 

Thursday, yth — Nothing of importance. Everything is quiet 
in camp. The rebels are not giving us much anxiety yet, but 
our officers are not napping; a strong picket is constantly kept 
in line. 

Friday, 8th — No news of importance. The officers are hav- 
ing considerable trouble in keeping the boys from getting through 
the lines. We have regular brigade guard to keep the men in 
camp, yet every day a few slip through when the guards are 
walking in opposite directions. But now, every morning at guard 



62 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(August, 1862) 

mount, the officer of the day gives strict orders that guard num- 
ber i shall walk his beat so that he will be looking at guard num- 
ber 2, and continuing thus around the entire camp, so that all get- 
ting to the end of their beats at the same time face about and 
proceed as before, each looking toward the guard ahead of him. 

Saturday, gth — The weather is very hot and during the day 
the men not on duty keep close to camp. There are some fine 
orchards in this locality and we get plenty of fruit now, as all 
orchard guards have been removed. The men are given passes 
and every day four or five from each company go out to get fruit. 

Sunday, ioth — We had company inspection this morning. We 
received orders to sweep the camp twice a day from now on. Our 
new chaplain, Chauncey H. Remington, conducted preaching 
services in the evening on the regimental parade ground. 

Monday, nth — I wrote a letter home today and sent a ten- 
dollar bill in it. I am sending home nearly all my pay from the 
Government, with the understanding that father is to keep it for 
me. 

Tuesday, 12th — We just learned that Ebenezer McCullough 
of Company E died of chronic diarrhea at Corinth, on the third 
of this month. His home was at Davenport, Iowa. 

Wednesday, 13th — The weather is very hot. I was on camp 
guard today when one of the guards suddenly became sick. I 
was number 24 in the first relief, and the man next to me, number 
25, got sick. He called out to me, "Corporal the guard number 
25." It then became my duty to repeat the same call, "Corporal 
the guard number 25," to the guard next to me, number 23, who 
made the same call to the guard next to him, and in this way 
the call went down the line to guard No. 1. Guard number 1 
then sent the same call to the corporal of the guardhouse, who 
went out to guard number 25 to see what he wanted. When he 
was found to be sick another guard was brought out to relieve 
guard number 25. 

Thursday, 14th — The Eleventh Iowa was ordered to move 
across the river, which we did this afternoon and went into camp 
on a low piece of ground. Our regiment is to guard the railroad 
track for four miles. We have to go on duty every other day 
and have to see that the rebels do not come and tear up the 
track. 



ON GUARD AT BOLIVAR, TENNESSEE 65 

(August, 1862) 

Friday, 15th — There was a very heavy rainstorm last night. 
We pitched our tents and built the bunks in them today, and are 
again quite well settled in camp. This is my birthday — twenty 
years old, and I have done a hard day's work, setting up our tent 
and building bunks, after having been all night on picket. I have 
now served almost a year in the army and it has been an active 
year's work, too. 

Saturday, 16th — Ten men from each company are detailed 
every morning to stand on picket, while the others patrol the rail- 
road tracks. The first thing we do is to form a line of battle 
every morning at 4 o'clock. 

Sunday, i/th — Nothing of importance. We had company in- 
spection early this morning. Because of the hot weather, all men 
not on duty stay close to their tents in the shade. 

Monday. 18th — We are having some very hot weather. Since 
coming to Bolivar, each man is permitted to cook his rations in 
his own way, and so every man has a frying pan of some sort, 
and a tin peach can in which to boil his coffee. One man in our 
company, "Long John," as the boys have nicknamed him, is a 
great coffee drinker. He carries a two-quart peach can strapped 
to his haversack, and every day buys up one or two rations of 
coffee from the boys who do not use much. 

Tuesday, igth — We received orders that two companies are 
to go out every three days about four miles east of the camp, to 
guard the railroad at the deep cut. On the third day they are to 
be relieved by two other companies from the regiment. It is a 
dangerous place to be on picket. 

Wednesday, 20th — Nothing of importance. 

Thursday, 21st — There is one train a day over the railroad. 
It is a combination train, and comes in at 6 p. m. and departs at 
8 o'clock in the morning. The train does not run at night for 
fear the track might be torn up, as the rebels are so near. 

Some very hot weather now. We get all the fruit that we 
want here, and have plenty of other rations at this camp. We 
have fresh pork and sweet potatoes. The potatoes we either boil 
in kettles or bake in ashes. 

Friday, 22d — No news of importance. The rebels are not 
making any attacks on us, but they keep us busy watching them. 



64 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(August, 1862) 

Saturday, 23d — Some very hot weather today. It is my turn 
off duty today, but I dread the picket tomorrow on the main road 
going into Bolivar. 

Sunday, 24th — I went out on picket this morning to remain 
at the one post for twenty-four hours. I was on vedette for eight 
hours, two hours at a time. The vedette has to stand out in ad- 
vance of the reserve post, one hundred yards or more. This post 
is about three miles east from Bolivar on the main road, having 
a high rail fence on either side. If the rebels should make a 
raid on the town, they would have to come in on this road. 

Monday, 25th — Companies E and K went out on railroad 
guard, to the deep cut about four miles east of our camp. We 
went to relieve Companies C and H and are to stay out two days. 
We have to patrol about five miles of the track to the east of our 
reserve post, making nine miles of track to guard. Our reserve 
stays in a schoolhouse located on a high piece of ground close 
by the railroad. We have to keep a strong picket line all night. 
Our drinking water here is excellent, and we have all the peaches 
and apples that we can eat. Some rain this evening. 

Tuesday, 26th — We remained on railroad guard all day again. 
Nothing of importance happened, but we had quite an exciting 
time for a while last night. When George Cush of Company E 
was on vedette, he thought he heard someone ahead of him in 
the brush, and gave the usual command to halt, but without re- 
sponse. Then as the noise continued he let fire, and although 
he hit nothing, yet that shot was enough to arouse the whole re- 
serve post, and we remained in line the rest of the night, think- 
ing that the rebels would make a charge on us before daylight. 
In the morning, upon investigation, we concluded that the noise 
must have been made by a hog or a calf, for there was not the 
least sign of the rebels. But the boys of the company began 
teasing George about his scare, and it is not likely that they will 
let him know the last of it for some time. 

Wednesday, 2jth — Companies G and B came out this morn- 
ing to relieve us from picket duty at the big cut. We have had 
very little rest while on picket and patrol during the last forty- 
eight hours. Our regiment has begun building fortifications here 
at Bolivar ; some negroes drifting into camp have been put to this 



ON GUARD AT BOLIVAR, TENNESSEE 65 

(August, 1862) 

work. The rebels to the south of us are getting bolder, and have 
driven in some of our outer pickets. 

Thursday, 28th — Nothing of importance. We are enjoying a 
well-earned rest in camp today, after having been without sleep 
for forty-eight hours. Our camp ground is getting dryer and 
more settled, and the weather is more pleasant. 

Friday, 29th — No news of importance. We are all on fatigue 
duty today, building rifle-pits and a fort. Our fortifications are 
not on high ground, but in case of an attack upon our camp, they 
would give us ample protection. 

Saturday, 30th — We are on guard every other day now. I 
am on picket post again on the main road out east from our camp. 
There are thirty of us with a captain in command. I stood on 
vedette for eight hours. Our reserve post is close by a farm 
house owned by a man named Patrick. He has a great many 
slaves who are out in the fields picking cotton, and they have a 
colored foreman, a slave at that, over them. But Patrick himself 
is the "driver," though he seems to be kind to his slaves, who are 
mostly women and children. Patrick had been forced into the 
army of the Confederacy, but he escaped, and returning to his 
plantation, he hopes now to remain within the Union lines. 

Sunday, 31st — Our pickets at the south edge of town were 
driven in by the rebels, and expecting to be attacked, the right 
wing of our detachment was in line of battle all day. We have 
now been in camp at this place all month and the work which we 
have been called upon to do has been very strenuous. I was on 
picket Half the time, patrolling the railroad, and I spent the other 
half on special picket and on fortifications. I have been in good 
health. 

SEPTEMBER, 1862. 

Monday, 1st — We were expecting to be attacked today and 
so were in line of battle most of the time. Our pickets to the 
south of town are still skirmishing. 1 The weather is very hot. 

1 It was the belief in camp that there was only a small force of the 
enemy in the locality of Bolivar, but that they were quite active to make 
our commanders think that they were here in large force to take the place, 
and so make us keep a large force there while their real objective was 
Corinth. We had then but a small force at Corinth while the Confed- 
erates had their main army in the vicinity of Iuka, Mississippi, with the 
view of capturing Corinth. — A. G. D. 



66 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(September, 1862) 

Tuesday, 2d — There was some fighting south of town this 
morning and there is still some skirmishing. Old Patrick and 
several other citizens left, for they were afraid that the rebels 
would catch them and hang them. They had violated their oaths 
to support the Confederacy and then when the Union army 
took this section they had sworn to support the United States, 
and now thinking that this place would be retaken, they got out 
so as not to fall into the hands of the rebels. 

Wednesday, 3d — Our regiment had to fall in line of battle 
this morning at 2 o'clock so that if the rebels should attack us 
they would not find us in our beds. The rebels did not appear 
and a big detail was put to work on the fortifications. When 
these works are completed a small force can hold them against 
a force five times the size. 

Thursday, 4th — Companies E and K went out on railroad 
guard at the deep cut, to relieve Companies C and H. We are 
guarding the road for a distance of seven miles. We have some 
very strict orders on guard ; every man has to be on guard all 
the time, as the rebels may come out of the brush at any moment, 
and if we should be caught napping, some of us would surely be 
killed. 

Friday, $th — We are still on guard at the big cut, with car- 
tridge boxes on and muskets by our sides. It was reported that 
the rebels were coming to attack us last night and there was no 
sleep for us. They did not come, but I hope that they will not 
deceive us any more. 

Saturday, 6th — We were relieved this morning by Companies 
B and G and arrived in camp at 1 1 o'clock. All are glad to get 
back to tent for a good rest, after having been on duty for forty- 
eight hours. 

Sunday, Jth — There have been no rebels to see us yet. Things 
are very quiet today ; the weather being so hot, no one cares to 
stir. 

Monday, 8th — It rained all last night. Bolivar has a town 
clock which can be heard as far out as our camp. The town 
watchman keeps calling out the hours till 2 or even 4 o'clock in 
the morning, ending with his monotonous "all's well." The feel- 
ing of the boys is that all is not well when hundreds of men have 
to be out on vedette with drawn muskets ready for a fight, and 



ON GUARD AT BOLIVAR, TENNESSEE 67 

(September, 1862) 

that the watchman had better dispense with the announcement 
until this war is over. 

Tuesday, pth — Nothing of importance. We are still working 
on the fortifications ; those at work are relieved from picket duty 
at night. The rebels are not as bold as they were a few days ago. 
The talk in camp is that our brigade will leave in two or three 
days for Corinth. 

Wednesday, /of A— We finished building Fort Hall, on the 
north side of town, and when the artillery boys get the cannon 
mounted, we will be ready for the rebels. 

Thursday, nth — The brigade received marching orders to 
leave in the morning at daylight and we packed our knapsacks 
today. The talk is that we are to go to Corinth. A small force 
is to be left here to hold the fort, and it will require a large number 
to take it. Bolivar has some loyal citizens who will be protected 
in this way, but we are sorry to bid these people good-bye, per- 
haps for all time to come. We have been in camp here forty- 
two days and all the time engaged in hard service— on picket, 
fatigue and patrol duty, besides often in line of battle. 



68 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(September, 1862) 



Chapter VIII. 
The Battles of Iuka and Corinth. Chasing Price and Forti- 
fying Corinth. September 12-October 31. 

Friday, 12th — We struck our tents at daylight and at 8 o'clock 
left Bolivar for Corinth, Mississippi, about forty-five or fifty 
miles distant. We marched fifteen miles and bivouacked for the 
night on the banks of the Hatchie river. The weather is very 
hot and the water is scarce, which, together with the dusty roads, 
makes traveling hard work. The men, however, are in good 
health and spirits ; only a few found it necessary to call on the 
doctor for aid in having their accouterments carried. 

Saturday, ijth — We started at / o'clock and marched fifteen 
miles. Bivouacked for the night on the banks of the Tuscumbie 
river. It was very warm and dusty marching, but all held their 
places in the ranks. It is said that the rebels' cavalry which kept 
up close to our rear guard, had something to do with keeping the 
men in line, for anyone falling out behind would surely have been 
taken prisoner. 

Sunday, 14th — We started early this morning with General 
Crocker in command and marched fifteen miles without stopping 
to get a drink. But several of the men became overheated, for 
it was a dreadfully hot day and the roads were dusty. We 
reached Corinth at 1 p. m.. and going out a mile south of town, 
stacked arms and remained there the rest of the day. We were 
nearly famished when we reached Corinth. Our road was on a 
pine ridge, hot and dusty, with a mile to water on either side, and 
it was utterly impossible for one to fall out of rank, get water, 
catch up and get back to his place in line. It was one of the 
hardest marches I have ever been on. 1 On passing through the 
town, by the college grounds, the young lady students worked 
hard at drawing water from the well and giving it to the men 
to quench their thirst. We bivouacked in a large cotton field, as 
our teams had not yet arrived with our tents. It commenced to 
rain about sundown and we lay on the ground without any pro- 
tection. 

1 The fast march and doing without water so long was all uncalled 
for, as after we got to Corinth we did nothing but lie around. — A. G. D. 



THE BATTLES OF IUKA AND CORINTH 69 

(September, 1862) 

Monday, 15th— We pitched our tents and built our bunks to- 
day. It had rained all night and rained some more this after- 
noon. The men are not pleased with this camp ground, as it is 
low and level. There will be a great many on the sick list if we 
remain here. On account of the dry weather all summer, the 
springs no longer furnish the branch with running water, and we 
are compelled to get our drinking water from a stagnant pool. 
Our former camp here in Corinth, which we left in July, was on 
high ground and all had hoped that we would be permitted to 
occupy that spot, but we were disappointed in that— such is the 
life of a soldier. 

Tuesday, i6th—We drew some clothing today ; I got a rubber 
poncho, which cost $2.50. It is about three by six feet, with 
eyelets every six inches all around the edges, so by four men 
going together in bivouac and putting their ponchos over a pole 
resting on two forks, they will have a roof that will turn rain 
better than any canvas roof. They are good, heavy rubber cloth. 

Wednesday, iyth— Our division started at 6 o'clock this morn- 
ing, leaving all our baggage in the tents. Each man is carrying 
sixty rounds of ammunition, and only such teams as are needed 
to haul extra ammunition are taken along. The whole Union 
army, excepting a small garrison left at Corinth, is on the move. 
We are marching out to the northwest, but the men do not know- 
where they are headed for. We marched twenty-five miles to- 
day, and went into bivouac for the night. We got our gum 
blankets just in time, as it rained nearly all day, and the roads 
became very muddy, especially where the artillery went. The 
men built fires tonight to dry their clothes. 

Thursday, 18th— It rained all night and till about 10 o'clock 
in the morning. We were on the march again for fifteen miles 
and then bivouacked for the night. We have traveled forty miles 
in the two days and learn that we are about ten miles from Cor- 
inth. 

Friday, 19th— Each man was ordered to have sixty rounds of 
cartridges, and leaving our bivouac, we marched a short dis- 
tance and formed a line of battle waiting for the sound of cannon 
from Rosecrans" men in and around Iuka, on the opposite side of 
the rebels. Not hearing anything we slowly moved forward about 
four miles through the woods, remaining all the while in line of 



70 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(September, 1862) 

battle. We drove the rebel pickets in. At noon the Eleventh 
Iowa was on a high piece of ground in open field awaiting orders. 
Some of the boys started fires to boil their coffee, and the rebels, 
seeing the smoke, opened with a few shots from a battery of four- 
pounders. Then our battery of heavy guns, lying in front of us, 
suddenly opened up on them and soon put them out of business. 
But the boys put out their campfires in short order. When the 
rebels first opened fire upon us, I was lying on the ground rest- 
ing my head upon my knapsack and a ball passed just over me, 
striking the ground at my left. That was a closer call than I 
cared to have and I did not think of taking a nap again. 

Saturday, 20th — We remained in line of battle all night and 
early this morning advanced in a line about two miles, when we 
received orders to march on into Iuka. The rebels retreated dur- 
ing the night, and General Rosecrans' forces are after them. We 
learned this morning that a battle had been fought yesterday 
here by Rosecrans' forces alone. When we were waiting for the 
sound of Rosecrans' cannon, we could not hear them on account 
of an unfavorable wind. The rebels attacked him and made the 
fight come off a day before the time set for our capture of them. 
The Sixteenth Iowa of Crocker's Brigade had been detached from 
us and sent forward, being the only regiment of our brigade en- 
gaged in the fight. Their loss was fourteen killed. The Fifth 
Iowa in Rosecrans' army was trapped in an ambush which was 
made with a battery masked in green leaves, and lost forty-one 
killed. The rebels were driven out and left their dead and 
wounded on the field. Quite a number of our wounded are now 
being brought into town from the battlefield. Iuka is a nice place 
with some good buildings. It is well supplied with good water 
from splendid springs. There is poor farming land around here, 
it being quite rolling in this part of Tennessee. The timber, most- 
ly pine, is rather scrubby. 

Sunday, 21st — We lay around all day in the camp which the 
rebels vacated. Their tents are badly torn, but the wooden 
bunks are in good condition. The wounded have all been cared 
for and the dead were buried today. A detachment of our army 
is still in pursuit of the rebels. Our brigade has been detailed 
to garrison this place and we expect our tents to arrive soon. I 
was detailed on camp guard this morning. 



THE BATTLES OF IUKA AND CORINTH 71 

(September, 1862) 

Monday, 22d — No news of importance. Rain last night. For- 
aging parties are bringing in all the fresh pork that we can use, be- 
sides plenty of sweet potatoes. Our crackers, having been kept 
in storage so long, are musty and full of the weevil web, and 
there are no trains from Corinth to bring a fresh supply. We 
often clean them the best we can and bake them again in ashes 
or in skillets. 

Tuesday, 23d — We riioved out of the old camp in the woods 
and went into bivouac in a large field. We are obliged to form 
a line of battle every morning at 2 o'clock and remain in line until 
after sunrise. A few of the rebel cavalry are still watching us 
in this vicinity. Our entire division is at this place, but it is 
thought that we shall soon leave for Corinth, as Iuka is not a 
very important point to hold, but Corinth, because of its two rail- 
road lines, is very important. 

Wednesday, 24th — The first train of cars came in today from 
Corinth and we expect now to receive a fresh supply of hardtack. 
We have been on one-third rations by foraging; now, however, 
it seems we have to do without, for we have cleaned up every- 
thing for a distance of ten miles in all directions. 

Thursday, 25th — Our knapsacks and tents arrived today by 
train from Corinth, and it will be more like living now. We have 
excellent water here, and there are large hotels for invalids, this 
having been a health resort for Southern people. There are quite 
a number of mineral springs here, some of sulphur and others 
of iron. 

Friday, 26th — I was on fatigue duty down in town today, 
helping to dismount the guns and load them with the ammuni- 
tion upon the cars to be shipped to Corinth. We are preparing 
to leave Iuka as soon as possible, but it is slow work, as the rail- 
road is in bad shape, and there is only one train a day. 

Saturday, 27th — Company E went out today with the teams 
to forage for corn and fodder. We were out northeast about 
seven miles and found plenty of corn, but not much fodder. The 
boys also took some chickens and two fine hogs. The farmers 
in this section are not rich, their farms being on the bluffs of the 
Tennessee river, but they seem to have plenty and some to spare. 
When the quartermaster sends teams out to forage, he calls for 
a company or perhaps a whole regiment, and they go and take 



72 DOWXING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(September, 1862) 

what they want without asking for it, but the officer in charge al- 
ways gives the owner of the property the quartermaster's receipt. 

Sunday, 28th — It rained all day. I went out on picket. David 
Huff, Leroy Douglas, Win. Esher and I were together at one post. 
We had strict orders to keep a sharp lookout for the rebel caval- 
ry. We are expecting to be attacked. 

Monday, 29th — We were relieved from picket this morning, 
and for the first time in several days we rested in camp all day. 
The weather is hot and sultry, with quite cool nights. The 
rebel cavalry seem to be all around us, but for fear of getting 
hurt they keep their distance. 

Tuesday, 30th — Nothing of importance. We received orders 
to drill. 

OCTOBER, 1862. 

Wednesday, 1st — The Eleventh Iowa was ordered down into 
town last night, for it was expected that the rebels would make 
a charge into town to burn our rations. We think, however, 
that they want our rations for their own haversacks. We 
formed a line of battle and lay in the streets all night, but the 
rebels did not show themselves. We received orders to march 
at daylight this morning. The cars came in from Corinth at 4 
o'clock this morning, and the sick men, our baggage, and the re- 
mainder of our stores were loaded up and sent to our headquarters 
at Corinth. By noon Iuka was expected to be entirely evacuated 
by our men. Our regiment marched twenty-three miles and 
bivouacked for the night within six miles of Corinth. 

Thursday, 2d — We started this morning at 7 o'clock, and 
reaching Corinth at 10, we marched out two miles west of town 
where we pitched our tents in the timber for camp. Water is 
very scarce. I took six canteens and started to find water, but 
to get it I must have traveled in all four miles. The balance of 
the day I served on camp guard. 

Friday, jrf — I was on camp guard all last night, on the second 
relief. Troops were coming in all night. This morning about 
daylight the Sixth Division was ordered out. and marching out 
about two miles to the northwest, we met the rebels in force and 
formed a line of battle. Our pickets having been attacked about 



THE BATTLES OF IUKA AND CORINTH 73 

(October, 1862) 

sunrise, the battle now commenced in earnest and lasted all day. 
There was some hard fighting in the afternoon, particularly off 
on the right, and our men soon fell back to the first line of breast- 
works. About 3 p. m. the Iowa Brigade was flanked and had 
to fall back to the second line of breastworks, but the brigade, 
with the exception of the Fifteenth Regiment, did not get into 
the thick of the fight. 1 The fighting continued till dark, and after 
that there was some very heavy cannonading. 

Saturday, 4th — During the night all was quiet and our brigade 
fell back to the last line of fortifications which, extending almost 
around the town, had been built in the last few days. Here we 
lay in line of battle all night. The rebels commenced to throw 
shells into town this morning at daylight. I was still on guard 
with the teams and we had to get out of that place in double 
quick. ^The rebels threw some ten or twelve shells before our 
battery in Fort Robinet could get the range of them, but when 
they did, they opened on them some sixty-four-pounders and soon 
put the rebel's battery out of commission. I was relieved and 
went to join the regiment, which had been advanced to support a 
battery. About 10 o'clock the rebels made a charge upon Fort 
Robinet, to our right, and tried to break our lines at that point but 
failed. This charge was made by a Texas cavalry, dismounted ; 
they came clear over into the fort, driving some of our artil- 
lerymen from their guns, but they were soon overpowered, some 
being killed and some taken prisoner. The colonel of the regi- 
ment planted their flag on our fort, but he was almost immediately 
killed. The rebels' dead just outside of the fort lay three or 
four deep and the blood ran in streams down the trenches. The 
rebels finally withdrew about 4 p. m., leaving their dead and 
wounded. The Iowa Brigade was placed to the left of Fort 
Robinet, in support of a battery, but did not become engaged dur- 
ing the day. Some of our forces started after the fleeing rebels. 
We received orders to be ready to march in the morning, and 
have to lie in line of battle all night. 

Sunday, 3th — The entire Sixth Division, taking up the line of 
march 2 this morning at 6 o'clock, marched five miles and then 

a The record of the losses of our brigade is as follows: The Fif- 
teenth, eleven killed, sixteen wounded; the Thirteenth, one killed, four- 
teen wounded; the Sixteenth, one killed, twenty-one wounded; the Elev- 
enth, three killed, eight wounded. — A. G. D. 

2 As we passed the fl>ld hospital of the Confederates on the Corinth 



74 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(October, 1862) 

formed a line of battle. We heard some very heavy cannonad- 
ing out on the Hatchie river, in our front. General Hurlbut had 
cut off the retreat of the rebels at the bridge crossing the river, 
but after a hard fight they got away and continued their retreat 
to the south, on the east side of the river. We resumed our 
march at i p. m. and after covering ten miles stopped for the 
night. The Second Iowa Cavalry was ordered back to Corinth. 

Monday, 6th — We started this morning at daylight and 
crowded the rebels very hard all day, capturing their trains and 
some of their artillery — ammunition, arms and caissons. I never 
saw such a stampede in all my life. They drove their wagons 
and artillery through the timber, over fallen trees, two and three 
abreast, wiggling through the standing timber as best they could 
with every teamster for himself. Some of the artillery men took 
the cannon off the running gears, and throwing them into gullies, 
covered them with leaves. Everything imaginable was strewn 
along the road — tents, bake ovens, corn meal, fresh beef and a 
great many other things ; some of their supplies they burned up, 
to keep from falling into our hands. We captured some of Gen- 
eral Price's headquarters' supplies, among such a buffalo robe 
which the men tore up for souvenirs. 1 

Tuesday, fth — We kept on the march last night till I a. m., 
when we stopped in bivouac. The men were all very tired, yet 
were willing and anxious to go on if only they could capture Price, 
or even a part of his army. Leaving our bivouac at 8 o'clock 
this morning, we again started after Price. We soon came upon 
the rebels and shelled their rear guard almost all day. We took 
a great many prisoners. It is reported that they are breaking up 

battlefield, we saw eighteen of their dead, evidently having died from 
wounds, lying side by side, and almost black in the face, which at the 
time was said to have been caused by their drinking a mixture of water, 
vinegar and gunpowder. Our army had barrels of vinegar, one for each 
regiment, so stationed as to permit the men to come and help them- 
selves. Now, our quartermaster, in hastily removing the commissary's 
supplies back of the inner lines during the battle, had, for lack of fa- 
cilities, left standing these barrels of vinegar. It is supposed that the 
Confederates took the vinegar and made a drink of it, for after the 
battle there was no vinegar to be found. — A. G. D. 

J During that day's march I saw, I think, the meanest man in the 
Union army. We had just started up a long, steep hill when I noticed 
one of our men coming out of a one-room log hut by the roadside. As 
he passed us, with an oath, he growled that he had gone into the hut 
to get something to eat, but all he could find was a half-bushel bag of 
corn meal. This the woman, who by the way had the courage to stay 
with her home, begged him not to take, as it was all the food she had, 
but he took it. Then when about halfway up the hill, the bag of meal, 
in addition to his accouterments, becoming too heavy, he with another 
oath, dumped half the meal out on the ground and ran on to catch up 
with his command. For such a man I cannot find words to express my 
contempt. — A. G. D. 



THE BATTLES OF IUKA AND CORINTH 75 

(October, 1862) 

into small bands and getting away through the timber and are 
scattering in every direction. 

Wednesday, 8th — We did not get into bivouac until late last 
night, and again started on our march early this morning. We 
marched until 3 p. m., when we halted to rest, going into bivouac 
for the night in a large field of cow-peas, near the town of Rip- 
ley, Mississippi. We ran out of rations and foraging parties 
were sent out. They brought in sweet potatoes and fresh pork, 
which is all we have to eat. I picked some cow-peas and cooked 
them ; they are rather strong, yet better than nothing to eat. 
The report is that the rebels have scattered out and escaped, 
and that we shall not follow them any longer. We are so far from 
our- base of supplies that we are in danger of being captured. 

Thursday, pth — We have received no rations today and the 
boys have been pitching pretty freely into the cattle and hogs in 
this locality. The rebels are reported to be at Holly Springs, 
Mississippi. We moved on nearer Ripley and are three miles 
east of town. It is very warm and dusty ; water is scarce along 
the way. 

Friday, 10th — We have received no rations yet and have noth- 
ing but fresh meat and sweet potatoes to eat. Our brigade went 
out about four miles on a scout, to escort a battery to another 
part of the army. The weather is very hot and about 3 o'clock 
in the afternoon it commenced to rain, the roads soon becoming 
very muddy, for the dust was so deep. At dark we reached 
our old bivouac, where we had been the night before last, and 
stopped for the night. A cool wind followed the rain and some 
of us went into negro huts, built fires and dried our clothes. 

Saturday, nth — We were routed out this morning at 1 o'clock 
and started for Corinth, seventy miles distant. It soon began 
raining, and after marching six miles in the rain we met our pro- 
vision train. We stacked our arms by the roadside, drew some 
rations and had a good square meal again. The hard-tack and 
coffee, with the bacon broiled on our ramrods in the fire, tasted 
mighty good — better than any pound cake eaten at home. While 
resting here and feasting, a number of the boys who had gone 
into the negro huts, caught up with us. They were in the cabins, 
nice and dry, and thought when we were routed out in the night, 
that it was to form in line, but in the morning found out their 



76 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(October, 1862) 

mistake and hastened to catch up with the command. A few of 
them were taken prisoners by the rebel cavalry following us. 
After our meal we continued our march till we reached the Talla- 
hatchie river, and bivouacked in heavy timber on the banks of the 
river. We traveled thirty-five miles today, the weather being 
quite cool. 

Sunday, 12th — We started early this morning and marching 
thirty miles arrived at Corinth just at dark. The soldiers are 
all very tired and worn, having marched about sixty-five miles 
over a heavy road in two days. We came into Corinth over the 
ground we had fought over in the battle of October 3d and 4th. 
This battlefield is a terrible sight and gives one a horrible picture 
of war. Our men having hurriedly gone in pursuit of the fleeing 
rebels, the burial of the dead was left to the convalescents, to- 
gether with such negroes as could be found to do the job. Many 
of the dead bodies had become so decomposed that they could not 
be moved and were simply covered over with a little earth just 
where they lay. 

Monday, 13th — Quite a large mail awaited us here. We 
cleaned up our camp grounds and pitched our tents in order. All 
are glad to be in camp again, as sleeping on the damp ground in 
bivouac, without any protection whatever, as we did the last week, 
is hard on the health. 

Tuesday, 14th — No news of importance. We washed our 
clothes today. We have to haul our water about two miles, and 
it is poor at that. The horses and mules are taken by the men 
to water. 

Wednesday, 15th — We are once more getting settled in camp. 
Our duties are not as laborious as they were at Bolivar and Iuka. 
We have begun the building of forts and rifle-pits, close in, all 
around Corinth, so that a small force can hold the place. We 
are pulling down some of the vacant houses to make room for 
fortifications. But the fortifications will not be on as grand a 
scale as those built here during the summer. They will be small- 
er, too, than the fortifications which protected us during the bat- 
tle here. 

Thursday, 16th — We have a beautiful camping ground; it is 
well situated on high ground which affords good drainage and 
in case of rain will dry off quickly. The weather is very warm 



THE BATTLES OF IUKA AND CORINTH 77 

(October, 1862) 

and pleasant, with signs of autumn on every hand, and a north- 
ern autumn at that. We have warm days and cool nights, and 
the foliage of the forest is turning many different colors. 

Friday, iyth — Everybody is now busy in the routine duties 
of camp life. The Government is having some deep wells drilled 
here in our camp ; one of them is now completed and we are en- 
joying plenty of good water, although it is quite a job to draw 
it. We draw the water by means of a bucket attached to the end 
of a rope which runs upon a pulley fastened upon a tall pine tree 
standing near the well. The bucket is about four feet long and 
has a valve in the bottom. There are always some of the men 
at the well waiting- for their turn to draw water. 

Saturday, 18th — It is reported that General Bragg is march- 
ing on this place. 1 Colonel Hare has not been with us for some 
time and will not be with us again. We have just learned that 
he resigned his commission on August 31st, on account of the 
wound which he received at the battle of Shiloh. He was re- 
spected by all the men of the regiment, and we are sorry to lose 
him. 

Sunday, 19th — Nothing of importance. This is our first Sun- 
day in a quiet camp for more than two months. We had com- 
pany inspection this morning and dress parade at 5 o'clock in 
the evening. 

Monday, 20th — No news of importance. We are again draw- 
ing regular army rations, having a railroad to our base of sup- 
plies. There is little to be secured by foraging around Corinth, 
as the rebels' attempt to retake the place has resulted in keeping 
a large force of our men here and food and feed has been almost 
cleaned up, with the men for a part of the time on short rations. 

Tuesday, 21st — Some very fine weather. We have received 
orders to have company drill twice a day now, and dress parade 
every day at 5 p. m. We are getting over the effects of our hard 
service of the past two months. 

Wednesday, 22d — We had brigade inspection today with all 
accouterments on. There is a report in camp that the army is 
soon to make an important move south into Mississippi. It is 

1 This was one of those mere rumors, for we know by history that 
General Bragg was not around there at the time. — A. G. D. 



78 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(October, 1862) 

rumored that there are soon to be some changes of brigade and 
division commanders. 1 

Thursday, 23d — No news of importance. The roads are quite 
dusty. 

Friday, 24th — I went to wash clothes today. Company wash- 
ing squads are sent out daily, except Sundays. A squad con- 
sists of eight men with a captain, a lieutenant and two sergeants. 
This method is necessary because we have to go so far, two miles, 
and a smaller group could easily be taken by the rebels' cavalry. 

Saturday, 25th — It is very cold today. It snowed about two 
inches this afternoon. We are well fixed for a mild winter in 
camp, with plenty of wood for fires in our Sibley tents. 

Sunday, 26th — The Eleventh Iowa was detailed to work on 
the fortifications under construction down in town. It was quite 
cold all day, and disagreeable, as the snow is still on the ground. 

Monday, 27th — Our entire regiment was at work on the forti- 
fications. Nathan Chase and William Cross of my company had 
a fight today, all over some trivial matter. It seems that it is 
enough to have to fight the rebels without the men fighting among 
themselves. They were put into the guardhouse. 

Tuesday, 28th — The regiment worked on the fortifications to- 
day for the third day in succession. I was not with my company 
though, being on other fatigue duty. The forts under construc- 
tion are arranged so that if one fort should be captured, the guns 
of two other forts could be turned upon the enemy in that one. 
The floors of the forts and the rifle-pits are raised from four to 
ten feet by filling in earth, and then laid with the lumber from 
the houses which were pulled down to make room for the forti- 
fications. The ramparts are faced on the outside with long woven 
baskets of hickory withes and filled with earth to keep them in 
shape. The forts are built with a view of standing some time, 
and should last for four or five years. We commenced drawing 
bread instead of crackers. 

Wednesday, 29th — The Eleventh Iowa was detailed to clean 
up and smooth a tract of ground for inspection. We are to have 

1 There was a sentiment even then among the rank and file of the 
men, that General Grant was the man to lead them. Some expressed the 
opinion that in the course of time he would be placed in command of all 
the armies of the United States. The men had the utmost confidence in 
his leading the army to complete victory. — A. G. D. 



THE BATTLES OF IUKA AND CORINTH 79 

(October, 1862) 

general inspection of the army here at Corinth, and it is to be 
made by General Grant. 

Thursday, jotli — The weather is quite warm again. We were 
at work getting ready for general inspection, cleaning camping 
ground, clothing and accouterments. Our camp is now in fine 
shape and the men are well rested. Some of the sick and wounded 
who have been absent for some weeks are returning to camp. 

Friday, 31st — This was general muster day, and we were re- 
viewed this afternoon by the commanding officer, General Mc- 
Arthur. The general says our division is hard to beat, declaring 
that it would be difficult to find a better-looking number of men 
armed for active service than the Sixth Division. After the re- 
view we were mustered for pay. The weather is very warm and 
the roads are dusty. 



80 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(November, 1862) 



Chapter IX. 
The Campaign Around Holly Springs and Retreat to Lafay- 
ette, Tennessee. November 1-January 11, 1863. 

NOVEMBER, 1862. 

Saturday, 1st — I was on guard today. The Sixth Division re- 
ceived orders to march in the morning. 1 We are to go in light 
equipment, leaving here our knapsacks and tents, which are to 
be put in storage. 

Sunday, 2d — We struck our tents, packed our knapsacks and 
sent them into Corinth for storage. The sick were all left in the 
hospital at Corinth. We started at 2 p. m. and marched fourteen 
miles, when we bivouacked for the night. The roads are very 
dusty and the weather is quite cool, but we are breaking the chill 
by building campfires. 

Monday, 3d — We started at 8 this morning, and marched 
eighteen miles. We cannot get much sleep at night because the 
army is so large; it is about 10 o'clock every night before we get 
into camp. But the weather is quite cool and the roads are good 
for marching. We went into bivouac for the night in a large 
vacant field. We passed through some rich farming country to- 
day, which the foraging parties had not found. The farms have 
good buildings and fences, and the crops are bountiful. 

Tuesday, 4th — We started rather early this morning and ar- 
rived at Grand Junction at 9 o'clock in the evening. The army 
has burned the fences along the road and set fire to many de- 
serted houses. 2 

ir The Eleventh Iowa regiment was within fifty miles of Corinth for 
two hundred and thirty-four days, and in that time took active part in 
the two days' battle at Pittsburg- Landing, the siege of Corinth, two 
months of garrisoning and fortifying Corinth, forty-two days in forti- 
fying and garrisoning Bolivar, the battle of Iuka and garrison duty 
there, the two days' battle of Corinth and then the pursuit of the enemy 
and return to Corinth. During all this time Company E was with the 
regiment performing its full duty. The losses of our company were 
nine killed in battle and five dying of disease, making fourteen of the 
company whose bodies were laid away under the green sod. — A. G. D. 

' 2 Our march these two days was marred by the disgraceful spectacle 
of the waste and destruction of property. Some men set fire to the 
autumn leaves in the fence corners along the road. A high wind blowing 
soon spread the fire, which laid waste the timber and burned some farm 
buildings, together with their contents. Such destruction of property 
was the disgrace of our army — but it was at the seat of war. — A. G. D. 



HOLLY SPRINGS CAMPAIGN 81 

(November, 1862) 

Wednesday, ith—lt was cold last night to lie in open bivouac. 
A cold northwest wind was blowing, and although we built fires 
to sleep by, yet the night was very uncomfortable, for while one 
was warm on the side next to the fire he was freezing on the 
other. We lay still all day to rest, but many of the boys slipped out 
in small squads for forage : they ran all over the country and 
fetched in fresh pork by the wholesale. I was in a squad of six 
with our corporal and we came in with our haversacks filled with 
sweet potatoes. On returning to camp, we passed too close to 
the colonel's tent, and he happened to be standing outside taking 
a sun bath. He called the corporal to his side, asked him where 
he had been, where he belonged, and taking out his penknife, cut 
from the corporal's blouse his chevrons and gave him an order 
to his captain, reducing him to the ranks. 1 The rest of us passed 
on to our tents. While we were out foraging, the colonel issued 
an order directing each orderly sergeant in the regiment to have 
his company fall in line every thirty minutes for roll call, and 
every man not answering to his name was either to be put in the 
guardhouse or on extra duty. I was caught, but being a pretty 
good friend of the orderly, I got off easy. He ordered me to 
carry a kettle of water to the company cook, telling me that since 
this was my first offense, he would let me off with that. None of 
the boys was punished very hard. 

Thursday, 6th — The Sixth Division remained in bivouac here 
at Grand Junction, while a part of the army moved on to Holly 
Springs. We have roll call now every hour during the day. 

Friday, jth — The weather is fine with quite cold nights. We 
are on half rations now, because there are no trains through from 
Corinth. 

Saturday , 8th — Nothing of importance. A large detail from 
the Sixth Division was sent to clear a place for a drill ground 
down on the second bottom of the creek south of our bivouac. 

Sunday, pth — We moved our camp to higher ground today, 
and are now in camp on the banks of Scott creek. 

Monday, 10th — We have plenty of water at this camp, but are 
on short rations, having nothing but "gruel" and sweet potatoes 
to eat. What the boys call gruel is made from flour and corn 

■This, it has always seemed to me, was a mean, contemptible thing 
for the colonel to do. — A. G. D. 



82 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(November, 1862) 

meal. The quartermaster issued some flour and meal today, each 
man drawing" his portion and cooking it to suit his taste. The 
usual method of preparing it is to make a dough and then bake 
it in the hot ashes or in the frying pan. Some of the new regi- 
ments from the North are equipped with shelter tents, each man 
carrying his part of the tent on his knapsack. The boys have 
nicknamed the new tents "dog tents." 1 

Tuesday, nth — The same old thing over. We are still in 
camp and on short rations. The quartermaster tells us to be pa- 
tient three or four days more, when he expects to have full ra- 
tions for us. I hunted about an hour through a ten-acre corn- 
field, thinking I might find an ear of corn and parch it to help 
relieve my hunger, but the field had been picked over so thor- 
oughly that I did not even find a nubbin. 

Wednesday, 12th — Nothing new. The weather is quite cool. 
This makes our eighth day on short rations, but the quartermaster 
assured us today that he would have some provisions for us to- 
morrow. New troops are arriving every day and passing on out 
to the front. 

Thursday, 13th — The railroad is repaired now and the cars 
came through today to Grand Junction from Corinth, loaded with 
provisions. Our tents and knapsacks also arrived. We pitched 
our tents, drew rations this evening, and commenced to live again. 
It looks like home once more. Three new recruits for our com- 
pany arrived today from Iowa. 

Friday, 14th — Nothing of importance. The Eleventh Iowa is 
in the Third Brigade commanded by General Crocker ; the bri- 
gade is in the Sixth Division commanded by General McArthur ; 
the division is in the Seventeenth Army Corps commanded by 
General McPherson. 

Saturday, 15th — It rained all day and we had no drill. No 
news. We have the Sibley tents now and are in good shape for 
cold weather. The tents are large, one accommodating eighteen 
or twenty men, and it is supported by a center pole which rests 
on a tripod. Fires are built on the ground floor in the center 

1 Our boys were inclined to ridicule the idea of a man having to 
carry his tent on his back, and gave them the nickname "dog- tent." 
But at that very time some of the boys would have been glad for a 
chance to carry as good tents, for when we were out on the march our 
tents had to be left in camp or else put in storage, and we would have 
to bivouac without any protection. — A. G. D. 



HOLLY SPRINGS CAMPAIGN 83 

(November, 1862) 

and there is a round hole at the top of the tent for the smoke to 
escape. The men sleep in Indian fashion with their feet to the 
fire. 

Sunday, 16th — We had another heavy rain today which caused 
Scott creek to overflow and our camp was almost flooded over. 
It seems that we shall have to move the camp. 

Monday, 17th — We moved our camp today onto the hills back 
from the creek. We raised the tents from the ground about three 
feet, by digging- trenches and setting staves which we made from 
the red oak trees growing so plentifully here. Then we elevated 
our bunks about eighteen inches from the ground with the staves 
and lumber torn from vacant houses in the vicinity. 

Tuesday, 18 th — We cleaned up our camp ground and finished 
setting in order our new camp. We have a very fine camp now 
and it looks quite homelike. It is located in rather open, wooded 
ground and the different colors of leaves on the trees make it 
look quite grand. The nights are getting frosty. 

Wednesday, 19th — I was detailed to help the general quarter- 
master draw supplies for the division. There were about one 
hundred men and we went with teams to La Grange, Tennessee. 
The supplies consisted of sugar, flour, pickled beef, pork, salt and 
vinegar, these all in barrels, with coffee and rice put up in sacks, 
and crackers or "hard-tack," salt bacon, pepper, soap and candles 
in boxes. The feed for the animals consisted of oats and shelled 
corn in sacks, and hay in bales of four or five hundred pounds 
each. Loading these on the wagon was heavy work, especially 
the big bales of hay, which required the strength of all who could 
get hold to lift them. We got a taste of another phase of war. 

Thursday, 20th — We had division drill by General Mc Arthur 
this forenoon, and in the afternoon we had battalion drill under 
Lieutenant Abercrombie. Our drill ground proved to be poorly 
suited for division drill, on account of the ravines and washed- 
out gullies. 

Friday, 21st — No news of importance. We are now in the 
regular routine of camp life, with drill twice a day. The quar- 
termaster received a consignment of clothing and blankets for 
some of the men of our regiment. 

Saturday, 22d — It is dry and the weather is quite pleasant. 



84 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(November, 1862) 

After the regular drills we cleaned up camp for inspection. There 
is no news, but the report in camp is that the division will start 
for the front in four or five days. 

Sunday, 23d — Nothing of importance. We had general in- 
spection this forenoon and in the afternoon the boys were per- 
mitted to remain in their tents — some were reading, some writ- 
ing letters home, while others were mending their clothes. 

Monday, 24th — We draw rations now of equal parts of meal, 
flour and crackers, and in amount equal to a one-pound loaf of 
bread. We have no means for baking bread, so each man turns 
over his flour and corn meal to the company cook, who boils it 
into a mush. Then at the noon hour he calls out and the men 
go and get their portions. Some of us fry the mush with a little 
bacon, which makes a very palatable dish. But I cannot under- 
stand why it is, that with a railroad open to our base of supplies, 
the quartermaster cannot draw full rations of crackers for the 
men. 

Tuesday, 2fjth — Division drill in the forenoon and battalion 
drill in the afternoon, as usual. We had a practical demonstra- 
tion during our division drill of the difficulty of drilling on un- 
even ground. While our column was advancing in line of battle 
by right flank, up hill and down hill, and across ravines and gul- 
lies, the line at times became badly broken ; men occasionally fell 
into the gullies and had to be helped out ; it became pretty excit- 
ing and even quite laughable, for there was always some one 
struggling to stay in his place in the line. 

Wednesday, 26th — Nothing of importance. The boys had the 
laugh on our commanding general this afternoon when we were 
returning from drill ; he was riding at the head of the division 
and when crossing the creek at a rocky ford he was thrown from 
his horse. The boys declared that the horse was O. K.. but that 
perhaps the real cause of his ducking was Southern rum. 

Thursday, 2jth — I signed the allotment roll for my father to 
draw $10.00 of my pay at home. The division received orders to 
be ready to march tomorrow morning. We are to pack our extra 
clothing in our knapsacks, which are to be stored at La Grange. 
Our tents are to be taken with us, the quartermaster delivering 
them to us every night so that we will not have to lie out in all 
kinds of weather. 



HOLLY SPRINGS CAMPAIGN 85 

(November, 1862) 

Friday, 28th— We packed our knapsacks ready to be sent to 
La Grange, and striking our tents started at 6 o'clock. We 
marched eighteen miles and went into camp for the night. Our 
cavalry drove some five hundred rebels out of Holly Springs this 
morning. The entire army is on the move and is in command 
of General Grant. It is reported that we are to effect a junction 
with General Sherman's army in the rear of Vicksburg. 

Saturday, 29th— We started this morning at 6 o'clock and ar- 
rived at Hollv Springs at 10 o'clock. We remained there about 
two hours and then moved on to Waterford, eight miles distant, 
where we went into camp. We drove the rebels before us nearly 
all day and there was some skirmishing. The fighting in the 
streets of Waterford was sharp and the buildings were burned. 
There was heavy cannonading in the front late in the day. There 
are thousands of negroes, women and children, of all shades of 
color gathered at Holly Springs. The roads by which we marched 
were lined with them. The best of the negro men have been 
taken South by the rebels to work on their fortifications. 

Sunday, 30th— We lay in camp here at Waterford all day 
and I wrote a letter to John Moore. I was on picket last night, 
but was relieved this morning. There was some skirmishing and 
cannonading out on the Tallahatchie river today. Several troops 
passed here going out to the front. The land in this part of the 
country is very rough and very poor. The soil is sandy and is 
easily worked. 

DECEMBER, 1862. 

Monday, ist—We lay at this place, Waterford, until about 6 
o'clock in the evening, when we struck our tents and started on 
a night march. 

Tuesday, 2d— We marched ten miles last night and then went 
into bivouac for the rest of the night. The rebels are falling 
back without much resistance. We left our bivouac at 10 o'clock 
this morning, crossed the Tallahatchie river over the railroad 
bridge and after marching four miles, went into camp. We are 
near the town of Abbeville, where the rebels were strongly forti- 
fied. They deserted the place early yesterday morning after 
burning the station, but left large quantities of their supplies 
which they could not move before they had to flee. After they 



86 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(December, 1862) 

had crossed the bridge, which is a mile long, they set fire to it, 
but it failed to burn. Our cavalry is after them today and have 
taken several prisoners. It rained all day today. 

Wednesday, jrf — It rained all night, but the weather is rather 
cold. -We moved our camp today and set it up again in a de- 
serted camp, one mile from Abbeville, which the rebels had built 
for winter quarters. 

Thursday, 4th — Our entire company went out on picket duty 
this morning with the orders to keep a sharp lookout for rebels. 
The sentinels out on the front are ordered to stand in secluded 
places, as they are in danger of being picked off by the rebel 
sharpshooters. It rained all day again. 

Friday, jth — The rain continued all night. We were relieved 
from picket this morning about 9 o'clock. Troops are passing to 
the front and there is some heavy cannonading in that direction. 

Saturday, 6th — I was on duty today with a foraging party of 
our division, to help load the wagons with corn and cotton. We 
brought in seventy-five loads of cotton worth about $40,000. At 
one plantation some negroes were out at work picking cotton, 
while others were baling it in the gin houses, but we drove into 
the houses and loaded up without asking for the privilege. The 
Sixth Division almost every day brings in from seventy-five to 
one hundred loads of corn or cotton. This part of the state is 
thickly settled and the settlements are rich, there being a great 
deal of corn and cotton. 

Sunday, Jth — No news of importance. The weather is get- 
ting quite cool. The chaplain of our regiment is not with us at 
present and we have no preaching - on Sundays, though we have 
prayer meeting in the evening. We had regular company inspec- 
tion this evening. Our guard and picket duties are light at this 
place. 

Monday, 8th — The Sixth Division is running a mill now, the 
quartermaster having taken possession of a grist mill which he 
is running day and night. We are now drawing full rations of 
meal instead of crackers and we have plenty of fresh pork and 
sweet potatoes. The boys have confiscated every bake oven in 
the country ; each company has from three to five, and by keep- 
ing them hot all day we bake all the corn bread needed. We all 
appreciate full rations after our fast at Grand Junction. 



HOLLY SPRINGS CAMPAIGN 87 

(December, 1862) 

Tuesday, gth — No news of importance. Our foraging parties 
destroy a great deal of property unnecessarily, especially when 
the owner of a plantation is away with the rebel army — then there 
isn't much left when the boys get through. 

Wednesday, ioth — Our troops are still moving out to the 
front. It is fine weather for marching. There is very little sick- 
ness among the men now. 

Thursday, nth — I was on the picket line again today. Picket 
duty is less dangerous now than it was, as the rebels have fallen 
back. We maintain a brigade guard at this camp. 

Friday, 12th — Nothing of importance. I was relieved from 
picket this morning. New regiments from the North are arriv- 
ing and passing out to the front to hear their first roar of cannon. 

Saturday, 13th — I was on duty again today, going out with 
about two hundred men from our division to bring corn. We 
got one hundred loads, and although it was not a good day for 
snapping corn, yet the corn being quite good it did not take long 
to fill a wagon. 

Sunday, 14th — No news of importance. We had company in- 
spection as usual on Sunday morning. There are no foraging 
parties sent out on Sundays, but brigade and picket duty are per- 
formed every day and night. 

Monday, 15th — The railroad bridge across the Tallahatchie 
river is repaired now, and the first train came through today. 
The cars can run as far as Oxford now. The quartermaster of 
our division has brought together at this place about $1,000,000.00 
worth of cotton, which is to be shipped to the North. 

Tuesday, 16th — The Sixth Division received orders to be 
ready to march in the morning. We have been in the rear of the 
army and we are now to move forward. The railroad being in 
operation now, it is said that our base of supplies will be moved 
forward and established at Holly Springs, Mississippi. 

Wednesday, 17th — We struck our tents this morning and at 
10 o'clock started toward Oxford. We went into bivouac for 
the night within four miles of the town. The weather is fine for 
marching and we have good roads. 

Thursday, 18th — We started at 6 o'clock this morning and ar- 
rived in Oxford at about 10. We were inspected by General 



88 DOWXIXG'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(December, 1862) 

Grant, passing through the town by platoon. We marched on 
eight miles out from town and went into camp along the railroad. 
Grant has his headquarters in Oxford. It is a fine town, on high 
ground and well built up with fine homes of the rich planters. 
A college is located here, with good buildings. 1 The surround- 
ing plantations are well fenced and have good buildings. 

Friday, igth — The boys worked all day setting up their tents. 
The boys of our company cut down a red oak tree from which 
we made staves, set them in trenches dug in the ground, and had 
just finished putting up the tents, when at 5 p. m. the long roll 
sounded to form in line. We were ordered to march to the sta- 
tion to board the cars for Holly Springs, as the rebels had taken 
the place and burned our rations. But we did not go. as another 
regiment nearer the station got there ahead of us and we were 
marched back to our camp, with orders, though, to be ready to 
start for Holly Springs in the morning. We had expected to 
stay here several days and are sorry to have to leave the place, 
for it would have made us an excellent camp ground, being on 
a south hillside with timber just thick enough for shelter. 

Saturday, 20th — We struck our tents early this morning and 
marched twenty-one miles back toward Holly Springs. It is a 
disappointment to have to retrace our steps and the boys are not 
as jolly as they were when going south. Holly Springs is said 
to have been taken and our supplies cut off. We have been put 
on half rations. 

Sunday , 21st — We left Abbeville this morning and marched 
through to Holly Springs, twenty-two miles. It was warm and 
dusty traveling. We arrived at dark, going into bivouac in the 
north edge of town, and I tell you the boys made the boards 
fly. for as the teams had not yet arrived with our tents, we pulled 
down vacant houses to build bunks and windbreaks to protect us 
from the cold wind. 

Monday, 22d — The rebels before leaving town burned several 
houses, altogether some two or three squares, besides burning 
about one million of our rations, and we are again short of food. 
On that account the boys are not in the best of humor, and every 

1 Our diarist must have seen either the University of Mississippi, 
opened in 1848. or Union Female College, a Cumberland Presbyterian 
college, founded in 1854. — Ed. 



HOLLY SPRINGS CAMPAIGN 89 

(December, 1862) 

man has practically a free hand to take anything that he can use 
or that he may want ; and there are no officers out looking for 
corporals to reduce to the ranks as was done on our way south. 
Any citizen who in any way had aided the Union army found his 
property set on fire by the rebels under the pretext that it had 
caught fire from our burning supplies. We received word that 
we are to stay here until further orders. 

Tuesday. 23d — Xo news of importance. We pitched our tents 
this morning. I was out on a foraging train for some corn, but 
we got very little, as this section of the country is pretty well 
cleaned up. We are now on half rations. 

Wednesday, 24th — Nothing of importance. It is quite cold 
and our extra clothing, underwear, is in storage at La Grange, 
Tennessee. There is no chance to draw new clothing now. 

Thursday, 2jth — General Rosecrans's division passed here to- 
day on their way to Memphis. This is rather a gloomy, dry 
Christmas. We are still on half rations. But in spite of it. the 
boys are all enjoying themselves. They are taking everything 
that they can lay their hands on. carrying to their tents couches, 
rockers, chairs, tables, books, bric-a-brac — in fact, all kinds of 
household articles. Some of the boys, who are lovers of fancy 
books, sent honie by express some of the most costly bound vol- 
umes. Holly Springs has certainly paid dear for burning our 
supplies. 

Friday, 26th — The Fourth Division commanded by General 
Logan passed here today on their way to Memphis. Nearly all 
of the troops which started on the expedition south have now 
returned. 

Saturday, 27th — Nothing of importance. 1 

ir The days of the latter half of the month of December were the 
darkest we had seen up to that time and. as it proved, they were the 
darkest days of the entire Union army during' the whole four years of 
war. Our armies, all along the line, East and West, had not been suc- 
cessful. The second 600,000 men had been called for during the summer. 
and the loyal men of the North responded nobly, most of them being 
on the field by December, ready for action. But there was an element 
in the North holding nightly meetings and declaring that the war way 
a failure; there was also talk of England's recognizing the Confederacy; 
then there were discouraging letters from the home folks to the men 
in the field, for the times were hard and the situation looked very bad 
to them. They would, in writing to us, ask what we thought of the 
outlook, and almost to a man, the reply would be that we would push 
ahead until we were successful, for our loss already had been too great 
to give up the struggle short of going to the bitter end. — A. G. D. 



90 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(December, 1862) 

Sunday, 28th — The weather is quite cool. We are pretty 
hard on clothes in the army. My bill for clothes up to this time 
is as follows : One overcoat, $7.20; two dress coats, $13.42 ; four 
pair pants, $12.12; two pair double woolen blankets, $5.12; three 
pair drawers, $1.50; two pair shoes, $3.12; three woolen shirts, 
$2.64; one rubber poncho, $2.73; four pair socks, $1.04; one hat, 
$1.55; one cap, 60c; one knapsack, $1.56; one haversack, 56c; 
one canteen, 44c. 1 

Monday, 29th — We had company drill this morning and re- 
ceived orders to be ready to march in the morning. We have 
been at Holly Springs nine days now, and the town is almost de- 
serted. 2 

Tuesday, 30th — We struck our tents and started at 10 a. m. 
We reached Coldwater by noon and stopped for our mess. Our 
colonel must have been cold and in a hurry, for he gave the order, 
"Front right dress ! Stack arms ! Break ranks ! Get rails and 
build fires ! G — D — !" It amused the boys and they were not 
long in building fires and preparing hot coffee. At I o'clock 
we left for Moscow, Tennessee, along the railroad, and after a 
day's march of twenty miles went into bivouac for the night 
within one mile of town. 

Wednesday, 31st — We left our bivouac at 6 a. m. and entered 
the town of Moscow at 7 and were then ordered to move to 
Lafayette, Tennessee, on the Memphis & Charleston Railroad 
thirty-five miles east of Memphis, where we are to guard the 
railroad. The town is located on the Wolf river and is sur- 
rounded by heavy timber. 

JANUARY, 1863. 

Thursday, 1st — We have become somewhat indifferent about 
keeping our camp in the best possible order, for we have been 
disappointed so often in soon having to leave a camp which we 
took pains to build. We have, however, fairly good bunks in 
our tents, made of brush and leaves. Our duties are very la- 

a Then there was that leather collar ("dog collar") to make us hold 
up our heads; it cost fourteen cents, but it was enough and the only 
one needed during the four years of war. — A. G. D. 

2 When we passed through Holly Springs going south, the town 
looked very pretty, and no property was destroyed. But when the place 
was surrendered to Van Dorn by our traitorous colonel in command of 
the small garrison, and that without the firing of a gun, then it was that 
destruction followed. When we had to come back to find our stores 
burned and live on half rations, our men were not in the best of humor; 
they did not care then if the whole town was destroyed. — A. G. D. 



HOLLY SPRINGS CAMPAIGN 91 

(January, 1863) 

borious here, for besides the regular picket duty, we are almost 
constantly at work repairing the railroad. Today four companies 
were on picket patrol and at work repairing a railroad bridge. 
I was on picket duty with the countersign "helmet." The army 
is on half rations, but we expect more soon, as a provision train 
came through today from Memphis. The Third Division went 
to Memphis. The weather is clear and cool. 

Friday, 2d — We are now on less than half rations and the 
outlook for anything better in the next few days is not good, al- 
though a train was expected to come through from Memphis to- 
day. 1 The railroad east and west from us has been torn up ; the 
rebel cavalry seem to be able to destroy it as fast as we can 
repair it. 

Saturday, jd — A work train came in from Corinth today, and 
troops are coming in from the front. It is said they are bound 
for Memphis where they will take transports down the river, to 
go into camp just above Vicksburg. The Fifteenth Iowa left 
camp here and took up quarters down in Lafayette. 

Sunday, 4th — I was on picket again today. A work train 
came in from Memphis, and four trains passed through going 
to Memphis ; but none of them brought provisions, and as our 
provisions are so low, the division quartermaster sent all the 
teams to Memphis to bring provisions. 

Monday, 5th — A report came to camp that the forces under 
Sherman made an unsuccessful attack upon Vicksburg. 2 We are 
shut out of communications now as well as of provisions ; we 
have had no mail for a month. 

Tuesday, 6th — We received a large mail today, coming 
through from Memphis, and it is quite jolly in camp. Besides 
this, our teams returned from Memphis with loads of provisions, 
and we hope soon to have something more to eat. A report was 
circulated in camp today that peace had been declared, but no 
one takes the report very seriously. 

Wednesday, 7th — The quartermaster placed a strong guard 
around the corral where the provision wagons were parked last 
night. But some of the boys of my company and of Company 

'The train the day before did not have provisions. — A. G. D. 

2 They failed because of the strong- fortifications and the fact that 
Grant failed to make his attack in the rear of Vicksburg at the same 
time, as planned. — A. G. D. 



92 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(January, 1863) 

K were determined to have something to eat without waiting on 
the slowly-moving formalities. They slipped through the guard 
line in the night to the wagons and succeeded in getting away 
well loaded, having secured a small chest of tea and two boxes 
of crackers, which they divided among the boys of the two com- 
panies before daylight. Expecting Van Dorn's cavalry to make 
a dash into town today, we formed a line of battle at 2 o'clock 
and awaited the attack. But no cavalry appeared, and in the 
evening all our teams with a strong guard were sent out to forage 
corn and fodder. 

Thursday, 8th — Although it is now quite warm, we are still 
waiting for our knapsacks containing our underwear which were 
stored at La Grange, but we were again disappointed in not get- 
ting them today as expected. Our boys have never been so bent 
on foraging as they have since going into camp here. Last night 
a squad of boys from Company K were out looking for whatever 
they could find, but apparently with little success, until returning 
to camp they passed by the camp of the Sixteenth Iowa, where 
they noticed two dressed hogs hanging up to cool during the 
night. What did they do but deliberately walk up and carry off 
one of the carcasses to their own camp ! They immediately cut 
up the meat, put it into kettles over fires, cooked it, and divided 
it among the boys of their company, all before daylight. This 
morning when a squad of the boys of the Sixteenth Iowa walked 
along our regimental camp in quest of that missing hog, they did 
not see even a sign of meat, bone or campfire embers. 

Friday, Qth — It is reported in camp that we are soon to go to 
Memphis for duty. Several cases of smallpox have broken out 
in the camp of the Sixteenth Iowa Regiment. All who had not 
been vaccinated before had to take their medicine. The country 
along the Charleston & Memphis Railroad from Memphis to 
Iuka, a distance of about one hundred miles, and for some miles 
on either side of the line where our armies are in camp and on 
the march, has been laid waste and is almost desolate. The 
men are desperate enough for anything. Vacant houses on plan- 
tations or in towns and villages have been burned. Many of 
these were substantial buildings with stone chimneys, which gen- 
erally remained standing after the burnings. These the boys hi- 
lariously spoke of as headstones and on passing them would call 



HOLLY SPRINGS CAMPAIGN 93 

(January, 1863) 

out: "Here stands another Tennessee headstone," or a "Miss- 
issippi headstone," as the case might be. 

Saturday, ioth — Two trains loaded with provisions came 
through on the railroad from Memphis, and we drew five days' 
full rations. This was the first time that we drew full rations in 
forty days, but we have no way of drawing extra clothing, and 
our knapsacks in storage again failed to come today. The First 
Brigade passed by on its way to Memphis. 

Sunday, nth — We received orders to be ready to march early 
in the morning for Memphis. The report in camp is that we 
are to go on down the Mississippi river. The Fourth Brigade 
of the Third Division came in at 5 o'clock in the evening and 
relieved our brigade. A detail from the Eighty-first Illinois In- 
fantry furnished the picket guards to relieve our post where I 
was on guard with Corporal McBirney and Privates John Esher 
and George Eicher, all of my company. We are all glad to leave 
this place, as it is low, damp and unhealthy, which with the small- 
pox makes it a bad camp. 



94 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(January, 1863) 



Chapter X. 

The Vicksburg Campaign. Siege and Surrender of Vicksburg. 

January 12- July 4. 

Monday, 12th — We struck tent early this morning and at 8 
o'clock took up the line of march, the entire Sixth Division being 
on the road bound for Memphis. Companies E and K are on 
rear guard. The day being fairly warm and quite pleasant, we 
covered twenty miles without incident, and bivouacked for the 
night within nine miles of Memphis. 

Tuesday, 13th — We left bivouac this morning at 6 o'clock and 
moved on to within a mile of Memphis, where we went into camp. 
The day was cloudy, threatening rain, and by evening had turned 
quite cool, with a high wind blowing. The ground being very 
rough here, the setting up of our tents was pretty slow work. 

Wednesday, 14th — It rained all night and much of the day. 
Our tents failed to turn the water, as the strong wind blowing 
literally drove the rain through the canvas, making it as wet 
where we lay as on the outside. There is no hay or straw to 
lie on at night and no lumber to be had for floors, but the quar- 
termaster is providing us with plenty of cordwood, and having 
the Sibley tents we build fires in the center of them to warm our- 
selves and dry our clothes. A great many of the boys got per- 
mission to go down town to spend the night. We signed the pay- 
rolls for two months' pay and were expecting to receive our pay 
today, but for some reason it failed to come. 

Thursday, 13th — It turned cold during the night and the rain 
of yesterday turned into snow which continued all day. Our 
camp is in a frightful condition, there being six inches of snow 
on mud a foot deep. Half the men of the Sixth Division go into 
town over night." The Eleventh Iowa received two months' pay 
this afternoon, and now only a few of us remain in camp, the 
most of the boys putting up in the city instead. We are expect- 
ing any moment to receive orders to break camp here. 

Friday, 16th — The snow continued today with a high wind. 
I loaned Lieutenant Spencer $i5.oo. 1 I went to the city today 

■Mr. Downing- informs me that, as was the common practice, this 
loan was evidenced only by<a verbal contract. — Ed. 



SIEGE AND SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG 95 

(January, 1863) 

to purchase some supplies, spending in all $1.00. This evening 
we received our long-looked-for knapsacks with our extra under- 
wear, which was quite welcome. Those of us who were not for- 
tunate enough to secure extra underclothes when at Holly 
Springs, as some did, were obliged to wear one undersuit for 
forty-nine days without changing. When we now cast them 
aside, some of the boys declared that there was almost enough 
life in their clothes to walk. 

Saturday, i/th — It was cold and stormy all day. I spent the 
day down in the city, and bought a few more necessary articles 
— spent $1.25. Five hundred rebel prisoners passed up the river 
today, being taken to a Northern prison. This evening we got 
orders to be ready to leave. 

Sunday, 18th — Bright sunshine, with cold northwest wind 
blowing. We struck our tents early this morning, loaded the 
wagons, and started for the river. Upon reaching the city com- 
mons, on a high bluff overlooking the landing, we stacked arms 
and remained there in the mud all day. About dark we were 
ordered to go aboard the transports. Our regiment with two oth- 
ers, the Eighteenth Wisconsin and the Ninety-fifth Illinois, to- 
gether with a part of the Second Iowa Battery, embarked on the 
Marie Deming, where we bunk tonight. 

Monday, ipth — We worked all day loading our supplies on 
the transports. The Ninety-fifth Illinois finished their loading to- 
day and are now lying in waiting. The river is quite wide here, 
one and one-half miles, and is fast rising. There are four mor- 
tar boats and one gunboat here, besides a large fleet of transports, 
some of which are loaded with troops to go down the river, while 
others are coming from the North with fresh troops. The rebel 
gunboat, "General Bragg," has just been captured here. 

Tuesday, 20th — Another cold, wet day. We completed load- 
ing our regimental supplies about noon, and at 4 o'clock started 
for Vicksburg. We tied up for the night about forty miles be- 
low Memphis. The boats are overcrowded, and because of the 
cold weather there is much suffering. 1 

'Starting on this trip ended seventy-nine days of campaigning in 
northern Mississippi and western Tennessee. For suffering from ex- 
posure, part of the time no tents at night, nearly all the time on half 
rations or less, for forty-nine days no change of clothing, and more 
than sixty cloudy days with rain or snow, this campaign proved to be 
one of the most laborious campaigns during our four years' service. — 
A. G. D. 



96 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(January, 1863) 

Wednesday, 21st — The weather continues cold. At daylight 
our fleet started on down the river, reaching Helena, Arkansas, 
at 10 o'clock. We left Helena at noon with thirteen transports 
loaded with troops and tied up for the night sixty miles below. 
The transports dare not run at night on account of being fired 
upon by the rebels from the banks of the river. They fire on 
us even on the day run, but before we can get our boats to the 
banks to give them chase, they are gone and out of sight. 

Thursday, 22d — Today we enjoyed the first warm, clear day 
for more than two weeks, the snow having entirely disappeared. 
Our fleet continued all day without a stop. We met the White 
river expedition returning to Memphis from Napoleon, Arkan- 
sas. We tied up for the night about one hundred miles above 
Vicksburg. 

Friday, 23d — We continued our journey again at daylight and 
by evening reached a point about ten miles above Vicksburg, 
where we drove our fleet ashore and remained on the boats all 
night. Fully seventy-five boats loaded with troops are assem- 
bled here, while the fleet of gunboats is lying in the river two 
miles below us. The country is very low here, the land on either 
side of the river being about twenty feet below the water in the 
river, which is kept within its banks by levees. The river is ris- 
ing, and about three miles below us the levee on the Louisiana 
side has broken, and the land is being flooded. 

Saturday, 24th — We had some rain early this morning, fol- 
lowed by a heavy fog which lasted all day. Boats loaded with 
troops are constantly arriving and landing at different points 
along the river where the men are going into camp. Some of our 
boys are quite sick, the result of using the river water on the way 
down. Accidents are not common here considering the large 
number of men crowding as they do, but today a private of the 
First Kansas Infantry fell from the boat and was drowned before 
help could reach him. 

Sunday, 25th — We moved up the river today about a mile and 
disembarked on the Louisiana side, going into camp right on the 
bank. We are from ten to fifteen feet below the water in the 
river, while the levee is twenty-five or thirty feet higher than our 
camp. Company E was to go on picket, but the order was counter- 
manded, and then at dark a detail of one thousand men, I being 



SIEGE AND SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG 97 

(January, 1863) 

one, from our division, was chosen to go down the river to work 
on the canal which is being cut across the point of land opposite 
Vicksburg. It is a fearful mudhole to work in. A large num- 
ber of negroes are put on the job. The rebels try to shell the 
place, but their shells all fall short. 

Monday, 26th — Today I was one of a detail of two thousand 
men sent down the river a few miles to repair the break in 
the levee on the west bank of the river. The break is two hun- 
dred feet wide and the water rushes through with terrible force. 
I was glad when the order came to return to camp, for I would 
rather risk my life in a battle than to work another day on that 
break. An increasing number of men still lying in the boats are 
getting sick from drinking the poor river water ; the new recruits 
just arriving from the North are especially affected. 

Tuesday, 27th — Wood for fuel is becoming very scarce in 
camp, and also on the transports. The Thirteenth Iowa, with 
thirty of us from my regiment, were detailed to go with the trans- 
ports up the river for wood. We reached the woodyard about 
thirty miles up the river at dark and Company C of the Thirteenth 
Iowa was detailed for picket. There are six thousand cords of 
wood piled up here. 

Wednesday, 28th — We had ten or twelve teams at work all 
day hauling wood to the boats. I worked till noon with the de- 
tail of men hauling wood and loading the transports, while the 
other detail was on picket. In the afternoon our detail was on 
picket and the others completed the loading. We were called in 
from picket at sundown and with all on board the transports 
started on the return trip, reaching our camp a little before mid- 
night. 

Thitrsdav, 29th — We have plenty of wood now. At about 2 
o'clock this afternoon a brisk fire opened between our men and 
the rebels. We have not yet heard what was the cause of it. 1 
A scouting party seventeen miles out from the city had a skir- 
mish with the rebel cavalry, but there were no losses outside of 
several horses. A report came into camp that Port Hudson has 
been taken by our forces. 

Friday, 30th — Everything is quiet today. It came my turn t& 

'This was down at Vicksburg, where there was some heavy cannon- 
ading between our gunboats and the Confederate batteries. — A. G. D. 



98 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(January, 1863) 

go on duty. Another gunboat came down the river today. Gen- 
eral McArthur moved his headquarters from the boat, lying here 
in the river, out into a plantation house nearby. Things are very 
expensive here ; butter is fifty cents a pound and cheese is forty 
cents. 

Saturday, 31st — A scouting party of about two hundred men 
mounted on horses and mules, and carrying one piece of light 
artillery, came upon a rebel camp some eighteen miles out and 
engaged in a fierce fight. After standing their ground for two 
hours the rebels left for the tall timber. They left their sup- 
plies to our men, who burned all that they could not bring with 
them, and returned to camp with only five or six men wounded, 
bringing one lone prisoner. 

FEBRUARY, 1863. 

Sunday, 1st — We had an all day rain and the river is rising; 
the bottom land on the east side of the river is already under 
water. It came my turn to go on fatigue today. A detail of four 
hundred men was again sent down to work on the break in the 
levee. Our chaplain preached to the regiment this afternoon. 

Monday, 2d — An exciting time down at Vicksburg last night 
was reported in camp this morning. One of our gunboats ran 
the blockade and while passing their batteries, the rebels fired 
exactly one hundred and thirty shots at her, but did not hurt her. 
Our gunboats blew up one of the rebels' steamers which was 
tied at the wharf just below the city, and then ran another battery 
below without being hurt. 

Tuesday, 3d — Cloudy and cold. The levee is the only thing 
of interest and importance. We are still at work on the levee, 
but the water is almost to the top now, and it is breaking at so 
many points that the land on both sides of the river is being 
flooded. Our camps will have to be moved to higher ground far- 
ther from the river. Some of the camps are already being moved. 
I bought a supply of bread today for a dollar. 

Wednesday, 4th — Rain all day, and the whole country is being 
flooded over. General Grant has sent five or six expeditions 
along the river to find some way to move the army on to higher 
ground in the rear of Vicksburg, and also to solve the problem 
of getting our fleet and gunboats past the rebels' batteries with- 



SIEGE AND SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG 99 

(February, 1863) 

out running the risk of having them destroyed. I wrote a letter 
to John D. Moore, Inland, Iowa. 

Thursday, 3th — Weather pleasant. I was detailed to go out 
on picket, but the order was countermanded. There is some talk 
of our leaving the place. It is reported in camp that on account 
of the flood the work on the canal had to be given up, and that 
an effort would be made to turn the current of the river through 
the canal, thus letting the river cut it. 

Friday, 6th — We hear that we are to move up the river to an 
island where General McPherson's command is. About one hun- 
dred transports with troops aboard are tied up along the levee 
on the Louisiana side, awaiting orders to go up the river, while 
still others are being loaded. The plan is to go into camp at 
different points to do garrison duty, making it safer for fleets 
to pass at certain points. 

Saturday, Jth — While waiting for orders, I went down to a 
daguerreotype gallery 1 and had my likeness taken. The water is 
still rising and the report in camp is that our division is to pro- 
ceed up the river to Lake Providence, Louisiana, and cut the levee 
to let the water of the Mississippi through to the lake from which 
it would be carried into the Red river. 

Sunday, 8th — Orders came for the detail of men to quit the 
work of repairing the levee and for our entire division immediate- 
ly to embark on the transports. The Eleventh and Thirteenth 
Regiments went on board the "Empress" and loaded all their sup- 
plies after night ; at the last moment the Tenth Ohio was ordered 
to take passage with us. 

Monday, pth — We left for Lake Providence, seventy-five miles 
above Vicksburg, at 10 o'clock this morning, and reached our 
destination at dark. There were six transports and one gunboat 
in our fleet. We found the First Brigade of our division already 
here and at work cutting the levee. 

Tuesday, 10th — This is a clear, warm day. We disembarked 
early this morning and marching out about one mile from the 
river to Sparrow's plantation, we pitched our tents on the large 
lawn of the plantation house, bordering the lake. Mr. Sparrow, 
the owner, is a congressman in the rebel congress, and he and 
his family having gone away, left their negroes in charge of the 

1 Among the numerous "camp-followers" was also to be found the 
picture man. — Ed. 



100 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(February, 1863) 

plantation. Our colonel has established his headquarters in the 
plantation house. The First Kansas out on scout duty today got 
into a skirmish with the rebels and lost two men killed and eight 
wounded. 

Wednesday, nth — A large detail from our brigade began 
work on the canal from the Mississippi river to Lake Providence. 
About three hundred negroes are working on it. The canal is 
being cut twenty rods wide and when completed will be three- 
quarters of a mile long with a fall of twenty feet. I paid out 
thirty cents for some necessary articles, and also loaned thirty 
cents to Clark. 

Thursday, 12th — A dreadful rain during the night flooded our 
beautiful camp on Sparrow's lawn. The ground being so nearly 
level, it will take some time for the water to run off. It cleared 
off in the afternoon and it is nice and warm. The grass and trees 
are beginning to look green ; peach trees are in full bloom. I 
wrote a letter to brother John. 

Friday, 13th — The mail today brought me a letter from Jason 
Sparks and the monotony of camp duties was broken with good 
news from home. The weather is quite warm and we no longer 
need fires in our tents. Things are growing very fast and the 
farmers in this locality are planting their corn. 

Saturday, 14th — A heavy rain all night stopped our digging 
for a time, and the fatigue party did not begin work on the canal 
until 1 o'clock in the afternoon. It is terribly muddy and the 
water hinders our digging ; we wheeled out more water than 
mud. The following strange epitaph I noticed on a tombstone 
in a cemetery located in a grove near the town of Lake Provi- 
dence : 

"Remember man, as you pass by, 
As you are now, so once was I, 
As I now am, so you must be, 
Prepare for death and follow me." 

Siuiday, 15th — We had another all night rain, which again 
stopped work on the canal. We moved our tents a little distance, 
to get out of the mud, going onto higher ground, closer to the 
lake. We are still in the plantation lawn, however, which com- 
prises about twenty acres and has a great variety of shrubbery 
and tropical trees. 



SIEGE AND SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG 101 

(February, 1863) 

Monday, 1 6th— It rained all night and some today. Our can- 
vas tents are no good in shedding water. I was on guard today, 
but on account of the heavy rain and high wind all the guards 
were taken off duty. 

Tuesday, 17th— Another all night rain, which continued all 
day today." Our camp is again becoming very muddy. Com- 
pany E went on picket duty today. Our camp guard has been 
taken off. 

Wednesday, i8th—\\'e came in from picket this morning. 
The day is warm but cloudy. News came that another one of 
our gunboats accompanying a barge loaded with hay ran the 
blockade at Vicksburg. 

Thursday, 19th— -I was off duty today and went to town to 
have my likeness taken. 1 

We now have five hundred negroes at work cutting the levee 
at Lake Providence, and Captain Elrod of the Thirteenth Iowa 
has about one hundred negroes at work picking cotton— last year's 
crop left in the field. 

Friday, 20th— There is some talk of our having to move our 
camp again. News came that our gunboats were throwing shells 
into Vicksburg, one every fifteen minutes, driving the rebels back, 
and -that our mortar boats were damaging some of their water 
batteries. 

Saturday, 21st— Yesterday was clear and warm, but today it 
rained all day. We have had full rations ever since leaving Mem- 
phis. Today we received eight days' rations with an extra ra- 
tion of desiccated potatoes. Orders came to clean up for inspec- 
tion. 

Sunday, 2 2d— Dress parade was dispensed with today on ac- 
count of the smallpox scare. One case of smallpox was discov- 
ered in Company K. Instead of the regular inspection, the doc- 
tor vaccinated all who could not show a scar less than a year old. 
Monday, 23d— General Logan's division arrived today, accom- 
panied by the Seventeenth Engineers' Corps with pontoon bridges. 

Upon inquiring of Mr. Downing how he came to have his "likeness'' 
n twice so closl together (see Feb. 7), he " 
as not because the first was not a good 
1 proper picture. Said he, "To tell the ti 
„ major's uniform, and it wouldn't have b 
He destroyed it and had another taken. — it.d. 




102 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(February, 1863) 

They bring the news that our men are still throwing shells into 
Vicksburg, and that the rebels are vacating the place. Our quar- 
termaster went out into the country with the teams and brought 
in nineteen loads of cotton. 

Tuesday, 24th — There was quite a fire today in the town of 
Lake Providence, burning several vacant houses. In the excite- 
ment our men found two rebel flags. The Eleventh and Thir- 
teenth Iowa received orders to embark with three days' rations, 
and taking passage on the "Marie Deming" left for Greenville, 
about sixty-five miles up the river, to reinforce the brigade there. 

Wednesday, 25th — We arrived at Greenville at 9 o'clock in 
the morning and reported to the commander of the post, who in- 
formed us that he did not need reinforcements. He had just 
defeated a force of three hundred with a battery of six light guns 
and lost but three men. We remained, however, during the day, 
leaving for our camp down the river at 10 o'clock at night. 

Thursday, 26th — We reached our camp this forenoon in a 
rain which continued all day. General Ouimby's division just 
went into camp here, from up the river. The regimental quar- 
termasters are bringing in large quantities of cotton every day. 

Friday, 2/th — We received orders to clean up for general in- 
spection. Captain Beach of Company H of the Eleventh Iowa 
having been appointed to go after and bring back any deserters 
from our brigade, left for Iowa to get all such found in the State. 

Saturday, 28th — Our regiment was mustered for pay at 9 
o'clock this morning, and at 10 o'clock we had general inspection 
with all accouterments on, by the inspector general of the Seven- 
teenth Army Corps, General William E. Strong. 1 I got an order 
today from the captain on the sutler for $1.50. 

'Iowa may well be proud of the Third Brigade of the Sixth Divi- 
sion, Col. M. M. Crocker commanding. It is composed of the following 
troops, viz.: The Eleventh, Thirteenth, Fifteenth and Sixteenth Iowa 
Infantry. It turned out for inspection 1,935 rank and file. * * * Since 
I have been a soldier, it has so happened that I have seen many brigades 
of many different army corps, both in the Eastern and Western armies, 
but never have I seen a brigade that could compete with this Iowa 
brigade. I am not prejudiced in the slightest degree. I never saw any 
of the officers or soldiers of the command until the day when I saw them 
in line of battle prepared for inspection. * * * I cannot say that any 
one regiment of the brigade appeared better than another — they all 
appeared so well. The Eleventh was the strongest. It had 528 enlisted 
men and 20 officers present for duty, the Thirteenth 470 enlisted men and 
22 officers, the Fifteenth 428 men and 29 officers, the Sixteenth 405 men 
and 33 officers. In the entire brigade there was not to exceed a dozen 
men unable to be present for inspection. — Roster of Iowa Soldiers, In- 
fantry, Vol. II, p. 279. 



SIEGE AND SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG 103 

MARCH, 1863. 

Sunday, 1st — We had regimental inspection by the colonel at 
2 o'clock, and our regiment showed itself in good trim. Boats 
are passing daily, loaded with troops for Vicksburg. I was on 
camp guard and the evening seemed to be very long and lone- 
some. It put me in mind of the long evenings just before the 
battle of Shiloh, and I thought how soon there might be another 
such a battle. 

Monday, 2d — Being off duty I got a pass this afternoon and 
went to town. The quartermaster drew wedge tents for the regi- 
ment and clothing for some of the men. I drew a new haver- 
sack costing fifty-six cents. Our army is in good condition in 
equipment, provisions, clothing and munitions of war, and the 
health of the men is good with the exception of the new regi- 
ments, in which there are many sick. The work on the canal 
continues, with about a week's work to complete it ; we still have 
the large force of negroes on the job. 

Tuesday, 3d — Everything is quiet. I went down town again 
this afternoon. Our men have pulled a steam tug up on the bank 
and the engineers have a force of a thousand men re-calking it. 

Wednesday, 4th — The engineers finished calking the steam 
tug and with ropes attached to it some five or six thousand men 
succeeded in pulling it overland to the lake where it is to be 
launched. I crossed the lake in a skiff to the south side to buy 
some notions of a sutler with the Fourth Division. Among other 
articles, I purchased a diary for seventy-five cents, for the pur- 
pose of keeping a record of my army life. We were ordered to 
prepare for inspection. 

Thursday, 5th — We had regimental and camp inspection this 
morning at 10 o'clock, conducted by a major of General McPher- 
son's staff. We came out in splendid order. The officers of the 
Eleventh Iowa met at 6 o'clock this evening to draw up resolu- 
tions demanding the hunting down of all Copperheads in the 
North. The steam tug was started on the lake today to inspect 
and make sure of the outlets from Providence Lake through the 
Tensas river to the Red river. These outlets must all be open be- 
fore we let the water into the lake. 

Friday, 6th — I was detailed to go on picket with Company D. 
Had quite a thunderstorm this evening. 



104 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(March. 1863) 

Saturday, yth — It is quite showery and things are growing 
fine. Farmers throughout here are putting into corn most all the 
land that is not flooded. There are few white men here and most 
of the able-bodied negro men are forming companies and regi- 
ments for the army of the North, to be under white officers. 

Sunday, 8th — Company E went on picket this morning. Had 
a fearful hailstorm late this evening. 

Monday, pth — We-were relieved from picket at g o'clock this 
morning. The Thirteenth Iowa had battalion drill this after- 
noon. Hear some heavy cannonading in the direction of Vicks- 
burg. 

Tuesday, ioth — We heard again that Port Hudson was taken, 
and also that Rosecrans had a battle, but can learn nothing def- 
inite. A squad from our regiment mounted on mules and horses 
had an exciting experience while out scouting, about twelve miles 
from camp. Seeing some chickens in the yard of a farm house, 
they thought they might as well get a few to take along with 
them. When some of the boys, dismounting, entered the yard 
to catch the chickens, they were met by the woman of the house 
with a bucket of scalding hot water and they had a hard time 
trying to keep out of her way. Some of the boys got a touch 
of the hot water, but they caught their chickens. 

Wednesday, nth — All is quiet. The commissioned officers of 
our brigade had a meeting at brigade headquarters for the pur- 
pose of considering ways and means for arming the colored men, 
since they have been declared free. The plan is to put them un- 
der good officers for garrison service, thus relieving that num- 
ber of men for the more important places in the front. They 
also passed resolutions calling upon the loyal people of the North 
to put down those at home who are opposing the prosecution of 
the war ; if need be they would use force by calling for soldiers 
from the front. The men at the front feel that this opposition 
to war at home is helping to prolong the war, by encouraging 
the rebels. 

Thursday, 12th — The Eleventh Iowa received two months' 
pay, I receiving $26.00. We commenced to cut the levee today, 
but shortly after we got started the order was countermande/1. 

Friday, 13th — The weather is quite pleasant and all is quiet. 
There is nothing of importance. 



SIEGE AND SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG 105 

(March, 1863) 

Saturday, 14th — I was on guard at Colonel Crocker's head- 
quarters in the old Sparrow house and had a fine room to stay 
in over night. The Sixteenth Iowa got two months' pay today. 
Major Wilson of the Thirteenth Iowa left today for his home in 
Iowa on a thirty-day furlough, and I sent $35.00 home by him. 
The weather is quite warm. 

Sunday, ijth—We had an all day rain. I was relieved from 
guard at 9 o'clock a. m. We see very little of our chaplain at 
this camp, for he is seldom here and we have no one to occupy 
the regimental pulpit. Two brigades of General Quimby's Di- 
vision boarded the transports and left today for Vicksburg. 

Monday, 16th — The Eleventh Iowa turned their old Sibley 
tents over to the quartermaster and drew wedge tents in their 
stead. They finished cutting the levee today and let the water 
through from the river to the lake. The roar of the water rush- 
ing through the canal can be heard a mile. 

Tuesday, 17th— The Third Brigade got orders to drill four 
hours today. Three transports went up the river today. The 
water in the lake is rapidly rising since the canal is cut through 
and our regimental camp along the edge of the lake will, in a 
few days, have to be moved to higher ground. 

Wednesday, i8th—SNz now have company drill four hours a 
day. The fatigue duty at this camp has not been very laborious, 
as the officers put negroes to work, very few of our men working 
any toward the last. The lake is still rising and already over- 
flowing the bottom land at places. We are expecting to receive 
orders to leave soon. The weather is warm, the trees are all 
leafed out, and everything is growing fine. 

Thursday, 19th— I was again on duty today. Company drill 
at 9 o'clock and battalion drill at 2 o'clock. The troops which 
were in camp at the south side of the lake are on the move, going 
aboard transports to go down the river to find higher camping 
ground. 

Friday, 20th— Nothing of importance today. We have drill 
twice a day. I received a pass and went to Lake Providence. 
The water is already in the streets and the army sutlers occu- 
pying vacant buildings will have to move out tomorrow. I pur- 
chased a tin plate and spoon for thirty cents. 



106 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(March, 1863) 

Saturday, 21st — The Eleventh Iowa received new guns, the 
Enfield rifle, and everyone is pleased with the exchange. Re- 
ceiving orders to move camp, we struck our tents at 3 o'clock p. 
m. and moved two miles and went into camp in a cottonfield close 
by the levee just above the town of Lake Providence. On ac- 
count of the flooding waters we had to travel a distance of four 
miles to reach the point. General Logan's Division moved up 
the river about four miles. 

Sunday, 22d — I worked all day setting up our tent, my two 
tent mates being on duty. General Logan's Division started for 
Vicksburg today. It commenced to rain this evening. 

Monday, 23d — It rained nearly all day and our new camp has 
become very muddy. Today I read the two books of Chronicles 
in the Bible, sixty-five chapters in all. Our picket duty here is 
very light at present. 

Tuesday, 24th — It rained all night and day, and our camp is 
almost covered with water. The report in camp is that we will 
go down the river in a day or two. 

Wednesday, 25th — A division of troops passed our camp going 
down the river, while General Logan's Division came back again 
going on up the river. 

Thursday, 26th — It is very warm and pleasant, and the mud 
is drying up fast. We have no need for camp guards at this 
camp. We drew six days' rations. The Eleventh and Fifteenth 
Iowa Regiments received orders to move at once down the river. 
We immediately struck our tents and by 10 o'clock p. m. were 
on board the "Superior" with all the quartermaster's supplies, but 
the boat is to lie here all night. Everything seems to point to a 
movement upon Vicksburg, and the report is that the fleet, pro- 
tected by the gunboats, will have to run the blockade, while the 
troops will have to move by land through Louisiana and cross the 
river below Vicksburg. 

Friday, 27th — We started down the river at daylight this 
morning and landed about three miles below Lake Providence. 
We pitched our tents on the lawn of a fine plantation, some dis- 
tance from the house. We found plenty of boards with which to 
build our bunks. We are situated about ten feet lower than the 
water in the river, but the levee is strong here, being well sodded 
over. Our camp is in the open, unprotected by shade trees. On 



SIEGE AND SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG 107 

(March, 1863) 

coming down the river we saw our camp ground on the Sparrow 
plantation all flooded over, and the country as far as we could 
see was under water. The town of Lake Providence looked deso- 
late with the houses standing in the water. 

Saturday, 28th — No new developments today. We had orders 
to clean up for inspection. I went to the commissary headquar- 
ters and drew a hat and a blouse, costing $4.78. 

Sunday, 29th— We had a heavy rainstorm last night, blow- 
ing down several tents. Today it is quite rainy with a cool wind 
blowing. Being off duty today I remained in camp and read 
through the Book of Psalms. 

Monday, 30th— A cool wind again today. Several boats load- 
ed with troops went down the river today bound for the vicinity 
of Vicksburg. I am in hopes that they will do something. 

Tuesday, 31st— Warm and pleasant today. More troops passed 
down the river. I commenced cooking for the captain and offi- 
cers of our company. 1 I was considered a pretty good cook at 
home, but having so few utensils here, I fear there will be quite 
a contrast. 

APRIL, 1863. 

Wednesday, ist—lt continues warm and pleasant. All is 
quiet. I went up town to the division quartermaster to buy pro- 
visions for the officers, the captain giving me the money with the 
order to purchase ten days' provisions. When I returned the cap- 
tain noticed among the items of the bill "20 lbs. codfish," and 
exclaimed, "Why, Alexander, what in thunder are you going to 
do with salty codfish ? You have enough to do the whole com- 
pany, and there are but three of us !" 2 

Thursday, 2d— Weather warm and pleasant. No news. 

Friday, 3d— The Eleventh Iowa signed the pay rolls for four 
months' pay. Boats loaded with troops are passing down the 
river every hour of the day. Our entire division is again drill- 
ing four hours a day. We have a fine drill ground. 

See u"e S e e nt n ry fof MaTt^E™'"* ^ t0 * et $5 -°° Per month aS COOk - 
/There was some suspicion that the codfish deal was some April Pool 
business but I declare that it was all done in dead earnest. But I be- 
fSS !h°. £ZXf v, at \ X W ? 8 a P r . ett >' lal '^ e ration of codfish for ten days 
fh« ^/« i tte Ju havlng h ^ en noised about, I was not very careful to lock 
fi^ e ^ d H fl « VV, he ^ e i s ches > The hoys soon found out where they could 
I was thlnkful 1 ' T G & D &t ^ C " d ° f a Week St had a11 disappeared 



108 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(April, 1863) 

Saturday, 4th — Nothing of importance. The weather is get- 
ting very warm, but it is pleasant. I wrote another letter to 
Jason Sparks. 

Sunday, 5th — We had company inspection at 10 o'clock this 
morning and regimental inspection at 5 p. m. I did not go out 
on inspection, having to prepare an elaborate dinner (some of 
that codfish), and after dinner I had a good many dishes to wash 
— tin plates, cups and knives and forks. I read the following 
chapters today : Isaiah, ninth chapter, second to the eighth 
verse ; Psalms, twenty-second chapter. 

Monday, 6th — Four loads of sanitary goods from Iowa were 
landed today for the Eleventh Iowa. Colonel Hall arrived this 
morning from home and the boys were glad to see him. One 
year ago today he commanded the Eleventh Iowa at the battle of 
Shiloh. The boys are all in fine spirits. The Sixteenth Iowa 
received their pay today. It is reported that our cutting of the 
levee at Lake Providence will prove of no avail, as the channel 
of the Tensas river is so narrow, and it is impossible to cut out 
the big overhanging trees, so as to make it wide enough for a 
fleet to pass through. The project will have to be given up as 
impracticable. 

Tuesday, 7th — The sanitary goods were issued to the different 
companies of the regiment today ; the boys are pleased with the 
many good things that came from Iowa. Received orders to 
clean up for inspection. 

Wednesday, 8th — General Townsend, of General Halleck's 
staff, from Washington, D. C., made a speech to the Sixth Di- 
vision of the Seventeenth Army Corps today, on the question of 
arming the colored men. He urged loyal men to accept commis- 
sions as officers in colored regiments. General McArthur, com- 
mander of our division, spoke also, and the boys cheered them a 
great deal. Steps were taken to raise two regiments of colored 
troops at this place and give them arms. The Fifteenth Iowa re- 
ceived their pay today. 

Thursday, pth — The Eleventh Iowa received four months' pay 
today, I receiving $3.00 a month here and father drawing $10.00 
a month at home. The boys of our regiment send a large amount 
of their money home every pay day. 



SIEGE AND SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG 109 

(April, 1863) 

Friday, ioth — William Mills, secretary to the president of the 
Sanitary Commission of Iowa, visited our regiment today. He 
is down here among the different Iowa regiments distributing the 
sanitary goods donated by the loyal people of the State. The 
health of the Eleventh Iowa is very good, and the boys are feel- 
ing fine. Our regiment reports five hundred and twenty men for 
duty. 

Saturday, nth — The Eighth Iowa passed down the river to- 
day. We had no drill this afternoon, but were ordered to clean 
up for inspection. April has been warm and pleasant every day, 
but today we had a high wind. 

Sunday, 12th — Eight gunboats went down the river today. 
The boys feel quite lively and are anxious to get into action again. 
We had company inspection in the morning and regimental in- 
spection in the afternoon, with dress parade at 5 o'clock. Some 
of the men of our regiment were caught in a trap today. They 
went up into a pigeon house a short distance from camp and were 
having a game of "chuck luck" when someone informed the offi- 
cer of the day, who took some guards, surrounded the house, en- 
tered and made a quick dive for the rubber poncho, taking all the 
money lying on the figures, almost $200, and arresting all the 
participants. He put the fellows in the guardhouse and turned 
over the money to the hospital steward. 

Monday, 13th — Our nice weather was broken today by an all 
day rain. A large number of transports loaded with troops went 
down the river ; the Twenty-fourth Iowa was on board. I went 
down to the sutler in the Fifteenth Iowa camp and bought a 
bushel of potatoes, paying $2.50. 

Tuesday, 14th — Another rainy day. I went to town two miles 
up the river this morning in' a canoe, with the cook of Company 
K (I am taking cooking lessons from him) to buy provisions. I 
bought ten pounds of ham and other things for $3.95. I wrote 
a letter home to Albert Downing and enclosed $10.00 in it. Gen- 
eral Quimby's Division landed at Lake Providence this afternoon. 
It is reported that the expedition that was trying to find a way 
to get the army past Haines's Bluff on the Yazoo river has been 
forced to give it up on account of the floods. The river is flooded 
for a hundred miles up from the mouth, and four miles on either 



110 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(April, 1863) 

side. It is thought that they will have to run the fleet past the 
batteries at Vicksburg and march the army down the Louisiana 
side and then across the river on high ground below Vicksburg. 

Wednesday, 15th — General Quimby's Division passed on down 
the river today, and another large fleet of boats loaded with troops 
passed us for Vicksburg. It is thought that Vicksburg will soon 
be attacked. Things seem quite lively at present. 

Thursday, 16th — The weather is very pleasant. Mrs. Hall, 
the wife of our colonel, returned to camp today from the North. 
Another large fleet went down the river today. 

Friday, ijth — The Sixth Division was reviewed today by 
General McArthur. We heard some very heavy cannonading 
last night down toward Vicksburg. The report is that four gun- 
boats and six transports with five hundred thousand rations on 
board ran the blockade. Another large fleet loaded with troops 
went down the river today. 

Saturday, 18th — Weather pleasant. Had some rain this even- 
ing. Another large fleet loaded with troops passed down the 
river just after dark. 

Sunday, ipth — Warm and pleasant today, but we had quite a 
storm last night. We had company inspection at 3 o'clock and 
dress parade at 5 o'clock. The boys all feel quite lively; no one 
is reporting to the doctor. 

Monday, 20th — The Sixth Division received marching orders, 
and the First and Second Brigades started down the river. Our 
brigade, the Third, has orders to be ready to move at a moment's 
notice. We heard some cannonading this morning down toward 
Vicksburg. Companies E and K went out on picket. I remained 
in camp to guard the company's property. We have a fine camp 
at this place, but are glad to leave for the front, as staying in 
camp will not bring the war to a close. 

Tuesday, 21st — We struck our tents and at 3 o'clock in a heavy 
rain embarked on board the "Platte Valley." We had all the 
supplies loaded by dark and during the night left for Milliken's 
Bend to join the other brigades. The boys all feel very fine. 

Wednesday, 22d — We landed at Milliken's Bend early this 
morning and went into camp on a large plantation about a mile 
from the levee of the river. 



SIEGE AND SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG 111 

(April, 1863) 

Thursday, 23d — Brig". Gen. M. M. Crocker took command of 
our brigade today. I got a pass to go down to the landing to 
buy bread for the officers' mess in my charge. Our troops are 
encamped by the thousands all along the Mississippi river, for 
thirty miles up from Vicksburg. There is much sickness among 
the new troops in camp here, caused by using the river water and 
by camping on the low ground. Many of them have already died 
and their bodies have been buried upon the levee instead of in the 
low ground. It is reported that five of our transports loaded 
with supplies for the army below ran the blockade last night. One 
of the transports when almost past was hit by a solid shot and 
sunk. 

Friday, 24th — We are now in camp twenty miles above Vicks- 
burg. Received orders to clean up our camp ground and to have 
company drill forenoon and afternoon. A large detail was put 
to work and when the camp was put in order we had our regu- 
lar drills, one hour each time. A large fleet of troops came down 
the river this morning. 

Saturday, 25th — Our division received orders to get ready to 
March. All the sick are being taken to the hospital and we are 
storing our supplies 1 upon the boat. We have to go in light 
marching order, one tent to each company and with five days' 
rations. 

Sunday, 26th — We struck our tents this morning at 5 o'clock 
and loaded them on the boat and at 2 p. m. with knapsack on 
took up our march. By night we were within one mile of Rich- 
mond, Louisiana, on the railroad running from Vicksburg to Mon- 
roe, Louisiana, where we bivouacked for the night. 

Monday, 2yth — It rained all day and we marched into Rich- 
mond early this morning, taking shelter in cotton sheds, vacant 
houses, and any shed that would turn water. The Third Brigade 
is quartered in gin houses and negro shacks. White and I had 
a fine bed to sleep in last night. The land here is so nearly on 
the dead level, that it is almost impossible to keep out of mud and 
water, but we have plenty of cotton for bedding. 

Tuesday, 28th — It cleared off this morning and we left Rich- 
mond at 10 o'clock, marched nine miles and went into camp on 
Holmes's plantation, about eight miles from the Mississippi and 

1 Tents and extra baggage. — A. G. D. 



112 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(April, 1863) 

due west from Vicksburg. We took possession of all the vacant 
houses and sheds on the plantation. The roads are very muddy 
and many of the trains got stalled. Some of the wagons loaded 
with ammunition sank down to the axles and much time and labor 
were consumed in getting them out. There was some righting at 
Grand Gulf today. 

Wednesday, 29th — The teams all went back to the landing 
this morning for provisions and the boys cleaned up our camp- 
ing ground. We have first-rate grub now, hard crackers, sow- 
belly, green tea, besides fresh beef every fifth day. We draw 
full rations every five days when in camp, and every three days 
when on the march. The boys live fine. I wrote a couple of 
letters today. 

Thursday, 30th — Our provision train returned from the land- 
ing today. There was some very heavy cannonading at Grand 
Gulf today, where it is reported that the rebels are strongly forti- 
fied. Some of our transports ran the blockade at Vicksburg last 
night. The Eleventh Iowa was mustered for pay today. The 
sergeant-major reports the regiment as having five hundred and 
fifty men fit for duty. 

MAY, 1863. 

Friday, 1st — News came that General Sherman has again 
made an attack on Haines's Bluff, the same as last fall when the 
plan failed because General Grant failed to co-operate with him. 
The plan is to be tried again this spring. A large ammunition 
train passed through here for Carthage, Louisiana. General 
Crocker left the command of our brigade, to take command of the 
Seventh Division of the Seventeenth Army Corps. The boys are 
all sorry to see him leave. 

Saturday, 2d — The weather has been warm and quite pleas- 
ant for several days and the roads are drying fast. Things are 
very quiet here. Colonel Hall is now in command of our bri- 
gade. We have drill twice a day, though this afternoon there 
was none, in order to give the boys time to wash their clothes 
and clean up for inspection. I received $5.00 from Captain Mc- 
Loney, for the month of April, as cook for the officers' mess. 

Sunday, 3d — News came that our army took five hundred 
prisoners at Grand Gulf. General Steele's Division passed here 



SIEGE AND SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG 113 

(May, 1863) 

today. There is an Iowa brigade in it, consisting of the Fourth, 
Twenty-sixth, Thirtieth and Thirty-first Infantry. The men all 
look fine and there are none from the brigade in the hospital. 

Monday, 4 th— The Eighth, Twelfth and Thirty-fifth Iowa 
Regiments passed here today on their way to the front. They 
are all fine-looking men. I feel in hopes that Vicksburg will soon 
be in our hands. Our division is in the rear, most of the other 
troops having gone on ahead of us. Our army is in strong force 
at this place, and there is no danger of the rebels' cavalry making 
a raid on the base of our commissary supplies here. 

Tuesday, 5th— The Fourth Iowa Cavalry passed here this 
morning. It is a fine regiment of horse. Four hundred and 
forty-four rebel prisoners captured at Grand Gulf were taken 
by here this morning to be sent to our prisons in the North; 
they are a hard-looking set of men. News came today that our 
men have taken Grand Gulf with two thousand prisoners. If this 
is true it gives us a road to Vicksburg over high ground, which 
means the fall of Vicksburg. 

Wednesday, 6th— The Sixth Division trains all went to the 
landing this morning for ammunition. Wagon trains are pass- 
ing back and forth all the time, hauling provisions and ammuni- 
tion for the army at Grand Gulf. We had battalion drill this 
afternoon. 

Thursday, 7th— One hundred and fifty prisoners captured at 
Grand Gulf were taken past here this morning; they all looked 
quite downhearted. A large train of provisions passed here for 
the army below. The roads are drying fast, which is making the 
hauling and marching better. The boys are all anxious to leave 
this place and move to the front. This is a low, unhealthy lo- 
cality. An old negro here has picked up more than a thousand 
overcoats and blankets and is storing them away in his hut. 
These are thrown aside by the men marching out from the land- 
ing. On becoming warm and getting tired of their loads, they 
begin to unload about the first day's march. 

Friday, 8th— General Blair's Division, composed of Ohio and 
Illinois troops, went by today on their way to Grand Gulf. All 
day teams were returning to the river landing for provisions for 
the army at Grand Gulf. We received orders to send all the sick 



114 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(May, 1863) 

back to the hospital at Memphis, and prepare to march. Our 
regiment has battalion drill twice a day now. 

Saturday, gth — It is quite pleasant. Had battalion drill this 
forenoon. The boys are all in fine spirits, expecting at any mo- 
ment to receive marching orders. Our division teams returned 
from the landing with provisions and went on down to Carthage, 
where they will load them on boats for Grand Gulf. 

Sunday, ioth — Our brigade received orders to march at 5 
o'clock tomorrow morning. Regimental inspection at 8 o'clock 
this evening showed the regiment to be in fine order. Companies 
D and E went out on picket this evening. 

Monday, nth — We started this morning at 5 o'clock and 
marched about eight miles, when we stacked our arms until 3 p. 
m. We continued our march to Perkins's Landing about forty- 
five miles below Vicksburg as the river runs, or twenty miles as 
the crow flies. Here we bivouacked for the night. The country 
here is very low and often overflows. The large plantations, such 
as Perkins's, Holmes's and Jeff Davis's, are usually planted to 
cotton. The work is all done by slaves driven by overseers who 
live on the plantations, while the owners, planters, reside in more 
healthy localities. 

Tuesday, 12th — We took up our march at 5 o'clock this morn- 
ing and marched sixteen miles over very fine roads. This is a 
very rich country, and before the war, was prosperous, but now 
looks quite desolate, the buildings and fences having been burned 
by our troops. At the approach of our army the people fled, 
leaving all behind them. At noon we halted for lunch, and since 
it was so fearfully hot, remained here during the heat of the day 
in the shade of evergreens. The Eleventh Iowa was situated just 
opposite the residence of General Bowie, said to be a descendant 
of the inventor of the bowie knife. The main Bowie residence 
was burned and household articles, among which is a grand 
piano, are strewn about the large lawn. The outbuildings, on a 
grand scale, were not molested. The lawn contains about forty, 
acres and is planted in all kinds of tropical trees and shrubbery, 
with cisterns and fountains at different points. The plantation 
borders the west bank of Lake St. Joseph, the public highway 
being just between it and the lake. This plantation, containing 



SIEGE AND SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG 115 

(May, 1863) 

several thousand acres, is all planted to corn, which is now in 
tassel and silk. Our march today was along the west bank of 
the lake with a continuous cornfield on our right. When night 
came we were still by the lake, where we went into bivouac. 

Wednesday, 13th— After an early breakfast we left bivouac 
at 6 o'clock and took up our march. By noon we reached the 
Mississippi river, where we took boat, and going down about two 
miles landed on the east bank at Grand Gulf or Hard Times Land- 
ing—where the town once was. The town was destroyed just 
a year ago by the Union fleet, and there is nothing left but the 
streets and sidewalks. We went into camp here to stay until 
relieved. 

Thursday, 14th — News came today that Richmond was taken. 
I took a walk and reviewed the rebels' works about here. They 
were strongly fortified with heavy ordnance on the high bluff, 
about two hundred feet above water, with the river for a dis- 
tance of two miles running straight to the bluff. This made it 
a very dangerous place for our gunboats to approach. But after 
two days' shelling, our gunboats with two or three transports 
succeeded in running the blockade and landing below the fort. 1 
The river coming with such force is fast washing away the bank 
and we hope that we may soon move from this place. The Third 
Brigade of Blair's Division arrived late last night. 

Friday, 15th — News came again that Richmond has been tak- 
en, and that all of General Lee's supplies are cut off. The Third 
Brigade of General Blair's Division landed at this place today and 
went into bivouac. A gunboat came up the river from Port 
Hudson. Reports are coming in that General Grant is routing 
the rebels wherever he comes upon them in force. There are 
some prisoners and wounded being brought in from the front. 
The wounded are taken to the hospital and the prisoners to the 
North. 

Saturday, 16th — The weather has been quite warm for sev- 
eral days. Troops are arriving every day and some of them are 
going to the front. It is reported that our men are shelling the 
rebels at Vicksburg and are getting no reply. We received a 

'At the time of the capture the first troops marched down and 
crossed the river onto high ground some two miles below, while our 
main army came into the rear of the enemy, who were compelled to 
surrender, leaving all their heavy guns. — A. G. D 



116 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(May, 1863) 

dispatch from General Grant this afternoon, saying that his head- 
quarters is in the State House at Jackson, Mississippi. The 
troops are in fine spirits. 

Sunday, lyth — There was some very heavy cannonading out 
at the front today, and word came that a battle was fought at a 
place called Champion Hills, with heavy loss on both sides. The 
rebels are falling back towards Vicksburg. The river is falling 
and troops are still arriving. General Lauman's Division arrived 
last night. 

Monday, 18th — A despatch from the front informs us that 
General Grant has taken the railroad bridge across the Big Black 
river in the rear of Vicksburg. The troops also took some pris- 
oners. The Eleventh Iowa, accompanied by a gunboat, went 
on a scout up the Big Black river to destroy a bridge which the 
rebels had built in the last few days. This river empties into the 
Mississippi a short distance above our camp. 

Tuesday, ipth — All is quiet here at Grand Gulf. We heard 
some heavy cannonading up at Vicksburg. The Third Brigade 
of General Lauman's Division arrived this afternoon, and about 
io o'clock our brigade (the Third of the Sixth Division) and the 
Third Brigade of Lauman's received orders to embark at once for 
Vicksburg. The Eleventh and the Thirteenth got on board the 
"Queen Forest." 

Wednesday, 20th — This morning found us going up the river, 
when about io o'clock we landed three miles below Vicksburg. 
The rebels commenced throwing shells our way and we dropped 
down the river to a point six miles below the city. But at 4 
o'clock we returned to the place we had reached in the morning, 
and landing on the west bank marched across the point of land 
just opposite Vicksburg. Here we boarded the boats again and 
awaited orders. The mortar boats are throwing shells into the 
town. Our armies about Vicksburg have taken a great many 
prisoners. It is reported that our men have taken Haines's Bluff, 
and that General Grant has commenced action all the way around 
his line of battle. 

Thursday, 21st — Early this morning, at 6 o'clock, we moved 
up the river and entering the Yazoo river we reached Haines's 
Bluff, where we landed and stacked arms. Here we remained 
several hours awaiting orders. General Sherman has just taken 



SIEGE AND SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG 117 

(May, 1863) 

Haines's Bluff and now is uniting with General Grant's forces 
in surrounding Vicksburg. At 4 o'clock we again took boat, re- 
turning down the river to Young's Point, where we landed, and 
marching across the point again took the boats. We passed on 
down the river below Vicksburg to Warrington, Mississippi, 
where we landed, and marching out about five miles, went into 
camp for the night. 

Friday, 22d — This morning we moved out a short distance 
from our bivouac and formed a line of battle. The rebels com- 
menced throwing shells at us, and continued it all day; but as 
their guns were aimed too high, our greatest danger was from 
the falling limbs of trees hit by their shells. Four companies, 
including Company E, were sent out on the skirmish line. Com- 
pany B had one man killed 1 and one wounded. We withdrew 
after dark and moved five miles farther on toward the right wing 
of the army and bivouacked in a cottonfield for the night. We 
were in heavy timber all day, which with the rough land, all hills 
and gullies, afforded us some protection. We are on the ex- 
treme left of Grant's army, which almost encircles Vicksburg. 

Saturday, 23d — We started this morning at daylight and 
marched five miles to General McPherson's headquarters at the 
center of the army. Here we lay until 4 o'clock in the after- 
noon, when we marched back to our old place on the extreme 
left. The rebels again commenced to shell us, but the shells 
went over our heads. The Eleventh Iowa went on picket. Our 
men are shelling the rebels from all sides, and they are falling- 
back behind their fortifications. When passing the headquarters 
of the Seventeenth Army Corps today, I saw a most dreadful 
sight at the field hospital ; there was a pile, all that a six-mule 
team could haul, of legs and arms thrown from the amputating 
tables in a shed nearby, where the wounded were being cared for. 

Sunday, 24th — The rebels tried to shell us again this morn- 
ing, but could not get range of us. There was not much fighting 
today, our men having orders not to advance. Our siege guns, 
mortar boats and gunboats are throwing shells into the rebels 
day and night. We were relieved from picket this afternoon by 
another regiment. 

1 Jacob S. Deeter. — Roster Iowa Soldiers, II, p. 309. 



118 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(May, 1863) 

Monday, 25th — Fighting commenced this morning all along 
the line, but it proved to be mostly picket fighting. There was 
also some heavy cannonading and the mortar boats and the gun- 
boats were in action. Our command, the Sixth Division, lay in 
bivouac all day. In the evening the rebels came out and cap- 
tured some of our pickets, and we then formed a line of battle. 
The First Missouri Battery threw some shells into the rebels' 
camp after night. General Lauman's division arrived this morn- 
ing, but did not get into action. 

Tuesday, 26th — It was quiet all along the line last night. The 
rebels came out with a flag of truce, asking permission to bury 
their dead, killed during the day. Our brigade started towards 
the right this morning, and arriving at McPherson's headquar- 
ters at the center, we went into bivouac for the night. Our march 
was over hot and dusty roads. Our guns commenced to shell 
the rebels again this afternoon. 

Wednesday, 27th — Our brigade, with four others, all under 
the command of General Blair, left this morning for Benton's 
Crossroads. The expedition is to keep General Johnston from 
coming in to reinforce the rebels at Vicksburg. Cannonading 
and picket firing opened up early this morning. Our army, by 
sapping and mining after night, is gradually working its way 
closer to the fortifications. Our men are well protected during 
the day by earthworks. 

Thursday, 28th — Last night we bivouacked twenty miles east 
of Vicksburg and remained there till noon, waiting for rations. 
We then moved on ten miles and went into bivouac for the night. 
The country is very rough in this part of the state and there are 
only a few small farms to be seen. Water is scarce, our main 
reliance being cistern water. 

Friday, 29th — We started on the move early this morning and 
after marching about ten miles came upon the rebel pickets. 
We drove them in and forming a line of battle advanced towards 
them about two miles, our batteries throwing a few shells. But 
the rebels refused to take a stand and finally withdrew altogether. 
It was a small detachment of Johnston's army. We lost one 
killed and two wounded. Our regiment went out on picket. 

Saturday, 30th — Our expedition started back this morning for 
Vicksburg. We received orders to burn the buildings along the 



SIEGE AND SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG 119 

(May, 1863) 

way and drive in all the cattle we could find. Our road ran 
along the south side of the Yazoo river, through rich bottom land 
planted to corn and cotton. The plantations are well improved 
with fine buildings. This bottom land is from one and one-half 
to two miles wide and springs in the bluffs pour out excellent 
water which runs in streams to the river. We got our fill of 
good water. When we halted at noon for lunch Company E, on 
rear guard, stopped in the sheds of a cotton gin in order to escape 
the hot sun. We had been there but a few minutes when some 
straggler set fire to the cotton, which being very dry and scat- 
tered about soon made a big fire, driving us out. The fire burned 
some sheep, a yoke of oxen and a wagon, besides other articles 
which we had taken en route. 

Sunday, 31st — We camped by the river last night, and early 
this morning started for Haines's Bluff. We marched along 
some fine cornfields. We reached Haines's Bluff in the after- 
noon, and went into bivouac to the south of that place. We were 
as far east as Mechanicsville, forty-two miles from Vicksburg. 
On this raid we burned some fine plantation houses and other im- 
provements. I saw only one residence left standing, and that 
was where the family had the courage to remain at home. The 
weather has been hot and the roads dusty. 

JUNE, 1863. 

Monday, 1st — We lay over here below Haines's Bluff all 
day, the boys being very tired after their long march. We ran 
out of provisions last night and could not draw any today. Some 
of the boys went out into the country to see what they could for- 
age. We heard the roar of cannon at Vicksburg all day. 

Tuesday, 2d — We lay here in bivouac again all day. Our 
quartermaster drew some clothing for the regiment. I drew a 
pair of shoes, a shirt and a canteen. We are still without pro- 
visions. We spent the day in cleaning our clothing and equip- 
ments. There was some very heavy cannonading at Vicksburg 
today and we are expecting to receive orders to leave soon for 
the lines in the rear of Vicksburg. 

Wednesday, 3d — We lay still again today, but all improved 
their time cleaning up their accouterments. We drew two days' 



120 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(June, 1863) 

rations, which relieved our hunger. We received orders to march 
early in the morning - . Colonel Chambers returned from the 
North today. He is to take command of our brigade, a thing a 
great many of the boys were sorry to learn. 

Thursday, 4th — We left early this morning to join the army 
in the rear of Vicksburg, and arrived at General McPherson's 
headquarters about 5 o'clock in the evening. Here we stacked 
arms and formed a line of battle. Our men are still shelling 
Vicksburg day and night. We are here on high ground, but can- 
not see the town of Vicksburg. 

Friday, 5th — We remained in line of battle all night. Our 
brigade lay in bivouac all day. The Governor of the State of 
Iowa made a speech to the Iowa Brigade. Adjutant General 
Baker and Congressman Wilson of Iowa spoke also. The Six- 
teenth Iowa went out on picket. Skirmishing has been going on 
all day, and our men are digging rifle-pits. 

Saturday, 6th — Several companies from our brigade were de- 
tailed to go out last night and work as sappers and miners on the 
rifle pits. Our forces are working their way closer to the rebels' 
works every day, and Vicksburg is now almost completely sur- 
rounded. The rebels are running short of provisions, it is said, 
and are anxious for reinforcements to break the siege. They 
made attacks today on our outside lines at four or five different 
points, driving in our pickets. 

Sunday, 7th — The rebels made an attack on our forces at 
Duck's Point, Louisiana, where, it is reported, two negro regi- 
ments met the attack and captured two hundred prisoners and 
five pieces of artillery. Who says that the negro will not fight? 
I say he will fight ! Arm the negroes and let them fight for their 
liberty ! There are some Northern troops with them at Duck's 
Point, and together they make a strong garrison. 

Monday, 8th — The Third Brigade received their knapsacks 
this morning. The boys are at work building sheds of the cane- 
brake which is so plentiful in this part of the State. Fighting 
is still kept up and reinforcements are arriving every day. Vicks- 
burg must and shall fall this time ! 

Tuesday, 9th — The weather away down south in Dixie is get- 
ting quite warm. The soldiers are all in good health and fine 




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FACSIMILE PAGE OF THE ORIGINAL DIARY. ENTRIES For JUNE 



SIEGE AND SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG 121 

(June, 1863) 

spirits. Times are quite lively, with good news from all direc- 
tions around Vicksburg. Our mortar boats are throwing shells 
into town day and night. 1 

Wednesday, ioth— The cool morning was followed by a rain 
all day ending at dark in a heavy windstorm. Companies E and 
D of the Eleventh Iowa worked all last night in cutting a road 
through the canebrakes to the rebels' breastworks. Skirmishing 
has been going on all day. 

Thursday, nth— The Thirty-fifth Iowa received marching or- 
ders. A report is that General Burnside with eight thousand 
troops went on an expedition up the Yazoo river today. Can- 
nonading has been heard on all sides all day. News came that 
General Banks has Port Hudson surrounded and is now besieg- 
ing the place. 

Friday, 12th — Our brigade receiving orders, moved out about 
a mile and again went into camp in a large hollow ; we fixed up 
bunks and made a nice camp. I was out last night again with 
a large detail from our brigade digging rifle pits, working all 
night with rifle in one hand and pick in the other, digging trenches 
to protect ourselves in the daytime. There was skirmishing and 
heavy cannonading all day, and after night by their lighted fuses 
we sometimes could see the shells from our mortar boats coming 
over the city and down to the ground before they exploded. 

Saturday, 13th— The Eleventh Iowa moved out towards the 
rear about four miles, to relieve the Ninety-third Illinois on 
picket. The land around here is very rough and heavily tim- 
bered. There is an occasional small farm. The people around 
here are all rank secessionists. 

Sunday, 14th— Company E moved back as a reserve and to 
do police duty. Six of our companies are out on picket. There 
was heavy cannonading today by our men, the rebels in return 
throwing a few shells now and then. It is reported that one of 
our shells exploding in the streets of the town killed six women. 
Women and children as well as the men are shut in and are of 
course helping to consume the small store of provisions, but there 
is no way of escape. 

1 We were all confident that Pemberton would soon be compelled to 
surrender Vicksburg, for we had him completely surrounded. — A. U. D. 



122 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(June, 1863) 

Monday, 15th — Our brigade is all broken up, most of it being 
on picket duty facing Johnston's army and acting as a reserve, 
and doing police duty between the two lines of battle. Johnston 
is reported to be out on the Big Black river with about ten thou- 
sand men, in an attempt to get into Vicksburg, but he's afraid to 
come for fear of getting whipped. The boys are having fine times 
picking blackberries and plums. I quit cooking for the captain, 
and was recommended as a first-class cook. John Lett took my 
place as cook for the officers. 

Tuesday, 16th — We have had several days of very warm 
weather which became very hot yesterday, but today there is a 
high wind accompanied by thunder. The Eleventh Iowa signed 
the payroll today for two months' pay. Cannon have been roar- 
ing all day and the place still holds out. General Grant still feels 
confident that he can take the place, and the army is in fine spirits. 
Only a few tents are used now, and they are only for the sick and 
wounded. 

Wednesday, 17th — Our mortar boats are shelling the rebels 
day and night, and the constant roar of cannon is something 
dreadful to listen to. Our regiment drew some clothing from the 
quartermaster today. We just learned that we are to remain out 
here on picket. The boys are having easy times picking black- 
berries and plums. They are quite plentiful, and come as a God- 
send to us. Water is becoming very scarce, for the branches 
which we have to depend upon have now stopped running, and 
all we can get is the water left in the sink holes in the creek bot- 
tom. 

Thursday, 18th — We have had strong wind and thunder for 
three days now, but no rain. I was on duty today for the first 
time in two and a half months, for while I was cook I had no 
other duty. Skirmishing and cannonading are still going on. 
News came that our army is in the rear of Port Hudson and that 
fighting is going on there. I wrote a letter today for John Ford, 
of my company. Ford had shot off his right thumb by an acci- 
dental discharge of his rifle, and when it came time for him to 
write to his sweetheart, he called upon me to do it for him. 1 

'I undertook the job for Ford, but did some perspiring before I fin- 
ished the letter, and I would never undertake it again. The letter went 
through and he received a nice one in reply. — A. G. D. 



SIEGE AND SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG 123 

(June, 1863) 

Friday, ipth — It is again quite \varm. Every morning at 
about 2 o'clock we have to form a line of battle, so that if the 
rebels should come in upon us we would be ready for them ; but 
1 do not think they will come. On account of the very poor water 
here, several of the boys are down with the fever and ague. 

Saturday, 20th — By order of General Grant all the artillery 
opened upon Vicksburg this morning, and the bombardment con- 
tinued throughout the day. It is reported that the rebels have 
lost six hundred, killed and wounded, many of these being killed 
during the first two hours of the firing. Our left is holding quite 
tight. The sky was hazy today and the heat at times was very 
oppressive. 

Sunday, 21st — Things are quite still all along the lines today, 
but the mortar boats continue to throw shells day and night. 
Our chaplain preached a sermon to us this afternoon ; his text 
was from John, fourteenth chapter and second verse. It was the 
first sermon our regiment has heard for nearly six months. 

Monday, 22d — It is quite still along the lines today and there 
is no news of importance. Some troops were sent out in the rear 
today, and our regiment received orders to be ready to march at 
any time. It is thought that Johnston is trying to break the siege 
by attempting to make a move from the Big Black river, and by 
Pemberton's striking our lines at the same time and place, they 
hope to effect a union and escape. But General Grant is leaving 
nothing open. He has ordered the felling of large trees across 
the highways to prevent the moving of their artillery. 

Tuesday, 23d — Fighting is still going on. A force of thirty 
thousand under command of General Sherman was sent to rout 
Johnston. The Eleventh Iowa, with the exception of Company 
E, went on an expedition 1 in the direction of the Big Black river. 
Company E was left here for picket duty. 

Wednesday, 24th — I was on picket today, each man going out 
every other day, and the orders are very strict, no one being al- 
lowed to go through the lines unless he can show a pass signed 
by General Grant. Our men are digging tunnels under the rebel 
forts and laying powder to blow them up. When a fort is blown 
up our forces are to make a charge at that point and capture the 

'To join Sherman's forces. — Ed. 



124 DOWNINGS CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(June, 1863) 

rebels. The report is that the rebels are planning to cut their 
way out through our lines. News came that Port Hudson has 
been taken, together with a great many prisoners. 

Thursday, 25th — Everything on the outside is quiet as usual. 
Our engineers blew up one of the main rebel forts, and the in- 
fantry rushing in tried to hold the place, but on account of the 
fierce cross firing had to fall back to their rifle pits. A number 
of our forces were killed, including one colonel, and a number 
were wounded. Only a few of the rebels were killed by the ex- 
plosion, not many being in the fort at the time. Our cannon 
opened up all along the line. A negro in the fort blown up, was 
thrown high up in the air and came down on his head within our 
lines unhurt. 1 

Friday, 26th — I went on picket again this morning with very 
strict orders as to passes and keeping cartridge boxes on day and 
night. The rebels are becoming active and desperate in their de- 
termination to get out, for their provisions are very low. No 
news from the rear. 

Saturday, 27th — Our company is still on picket here about five 
miles southeast of Vicksburg, while the other companies of the 
regiment are with our brigade out on the Big Black river. There 
is no telling when we shall be relieved from picket ; yet our boys 
are pretty well satisfied, for we have plenty of blackberries and 
we drew three days' rations today. 

Sunday, 28th — I was sent out on picket duty today and every- 
thing is quite still along the line. It is also quiet at the front, 
except along General Logan's Division, where the rebel sharp- 
shooters are trying to silence our batteries. News came that 
Port Hudson had not been taken, and that instead General Hook- 
er was falling back. The little news we get from the Potomac 
is discouraging, but since we are so sure of a victory here at 
Vicksburg, we can stand discouraging reports from the Potomac. 

Monday, 29th — Fighting is still going on and our guns around 
Vicksburg seem to be making a new onslaught today. Our men 
blew up another rebel fort, but did not attempt to rush in, 
since the guns from the other forts are so arranged as to defend 
any other point along the fortifications. Everything on the outer 

'A photograph was taken of the negro and the boys had him on 
exhibition for a few days at five cents admission. — A. G. D. 



SIEGE AND SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG 125 

(June, 1863) 

lines has been quiet. I came in from picket this morning. The 
boys of my company are all in fine spirits, and although the black- 
berries are getting scarce, peaches and apples, which are plentiful 
around here, will soon be ripe. 

Tuesday, 30th — Our company was mustered at 9 o'clock this 
morning by Captain McLoney. Major Foster came in today and 
made a demand upon the general picket officers that our company 
be relieved from picket duty at this place. We had a fine time 
at this place. Our work here has not been laborious, but we had 
to be on constant duty and ready with all accouterments on, for 
any emergency. The abundance of canebrakes here fortunately 
made it unnecessary for us to sleep on the ground. 

JULY, 1863. 

Wednesday, 1st — A detail of the Seventeenth Iowa came out 
this morning to relieve us, and a team came this afternoon to 
haul our baggage, but we have not yet received orders to leave. 
Captain McLoney went down to the headquarters of the picket 
officers to get an order to move. The report is that our men blew 
up another rebel fort. It is said that a man on one of our mortar 
boats made a wager that he could pull the lanyard longer and fire 
a larger number of shells than any of his comrades, but he was 
overcome by the concussion and dropped dead just as he stepped 
from the boat. He gave up his life for a vain wish. 

Thursday, 2d — We loaded up our baggage and started at 8 
o'clock to join our regiment and brigade in camp on the Big 
Black river, about ten miles distant. We found our command 
cutting away the trees which were cut down to keep General 
Johnston from coming in our rear after Vicksburg should sur- 
render. 1 

Friday, 3d — We received orders to be ready to march at a 
moment's warning. Getting the orders we started about 10 
o'clock at night for Messenger's ford on the lower Big Black 
river, about four miles from our bivouac, and reached the ford 
at midnight. We are to stop Johnston from crossing the river, 
as it is thought he is making an effort to cross at the ford to strike 
Sherman's right flank. 

1 It was reported that Pemberton had raised the white flag, asking 
for terms of surrender. This being the case, our forces were set to 
work clearing the road for our artillery; for we understood that upon 
the surrender of Vicksburg, we were to pursue Johnston's army. — A. G. D. 



126 DOWNINGS CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(July, 1863) 

Saturday, 4th — A despatch came that Vicksburg has been 
taken and that Pemberton has made an unconditional surrender 
to General Grant. The terms include the surrender of his army 
of twenty-seven thousand men, one hundred siege guns, one hun- 
dred and twenty-eight field guns, and eighty thousand small arms. 1 
Early in the day the rebels drove some of our skirmishers in, but 
in the afternoon we commenced to shell them and they withdrew. 
They surrendered soon after. Our company went out on picket 
this evening. This has been a hard Fourth of July ; I don't want 
to see another such a Fourth. 



1 There were no provisions to give up and General Grant Issued 
Government rations to all the prisoners taken. — A. G. D. 



THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST JACKSON. MISSISSIPPI 127 

(July, 1863) 



Chapter XL 
The Campaign Against Jackson, Mississippi. July 5-July 26. 

Sunday, 5th — We came in this morning at lb o'clock from an 
all night picket along the Big Black river. We were relieved by 
General Tuttle's Brigade. Our brigade then fell back a mile and 
went into bivouac in heavy timber. The rebels all left last 
night, it is thought, for Jackson, Mississippi, with the forces of 
Sherman and Ord in pursuit of them. Sherman passed us, cross- 
ing the Big Black at Messenger's ford, while Ord's army crossed 
the river over the railroad bridge. There is great rejoicing in 
camp over the fall of Vicksburg and the boys are singing songs 
and celebrating. 

Monday, 6th — We have had very changeable weather for a 
week now — hot and sultry, then cool and pleasant, then warm and 
hazy. The Eleventh Iowa received two months' pay today. I 
got $37.25; of this, $11.25 was allowed for clothing not drawn. 
The Thirteenth Iowa and the Tenth Ohio Battery went out on 
picket duty. 

Tuesday, jth — A high wind today ended in rain tonight. Col- 
onel Chambers of the Sixteenth Iowa, who has been command- 
ing our brigade, left for Vicksburg this morning to obtain re- 
lease from this command in order to return to the regular army. 
The boys of the brigade are glad to see him leave. Colonel Hall 
takes charge again of our brigade. I went on brigade guard to- 
night. Our countersign is "Vicksburg." 

Wednesday, 8th — I came off" guard duty this morning at 9 
o'clock. There was a hailstorm last night and everything looks 
nice and green, notwithstanding the fact that there has been no 
rain for two months. But it is hot and the corn has suffered a 
great deal. All the fields are planted to corn, as that was the 
surest way to get food for the rebel army. 

Thursday, Qth — There is no news of importance and we have 
had no chance yet for newspapers. We have scant news while 
out here in the woods, sometimes getting no mail for eight or 
ten days at a time. All our teams went to Vicksburg today for 



128 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(July, 1863) 

provisions. The forces of Sherman and Ord are still pursuing 
Johnston. 

Friday, ioth — News came that there was fighting at Jackson, 
Mississippi, General Sherman having pushed Johnston back to 
that point. Troops are passing on to the front to reinforce Sher- 
man. News came also that General Lee was making a raid into 
Pennsylvania. 1 Colonel Chambers returned from Vicksburg to- 
day, and has again taken charge of our brigade. The men of our 
brigade are all in good health at present. The weather is hot 
and oppressive. No more at present. 

Saturday, nth — The Eleventh Iowa started at sunup this 
morning for Jackson, Mississippi, as an escort for two hundred 
and forty-five wagons loaded with provisions and ammunition for 
General Sherman's army. By night we were within one mile of 
Clinton, where we went into bivouac, closely corralling the wag- 
ons. We rode on the wagons a part of the time during the jour- 
ney. Whenever they came to a stretch of good roads, the team- 
sters would put the horses on the run, and in order to keep up 
we had to climb onto the loaded wagons. We suffered for lack 
of water today, for the rebels in their retreat polluted the branches 
they crossed by killing and throwing into the streams their worn- 
out horses and mules, hoping thus to strike a blow at us. Their 
march was marked by the buzzards flying above or feeding upon 
the carcasses of the slain animals. 

Sunday, 12th — We started this morning at sunup and arrived 
at General Sherman's headquarters at 10 o'clock. Two regiments 
of Sherman's army came out to reinforce our train guard. They 
feared that the rebels' cavalry would make a raid on the train 
before we could reach the main army. We arrived safely with- 
out losing a single wagon. Cannonading is going on quite live- 
ly from both sides. Good water is very scarce here, and the few 
wells and cisterns which we can draw upon are crowded all the 
time ; I stood with two canteens for more than an hour waiting 
for my turn. 

Monday, 13th — We left this morning at 3 o'clock on our re- 
turn trip via Black river bridge, with a train of two hundred and 
fifty empty wagons. We took with us sixty-one prisoners, giving 

1 This seems to have been the first news from the battle of Gettys- 
burg — a week after the battle. — Ed. 



THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI 129 

(July, 1863) 

them the first free ride they have had for some time. We all 
rode on the wagons, standing, and in order to keep from falling 
out when the teams made a lurch, we removed the canvas covers 
so as to hold to the bows. The road was lined the whole way 
with troops going to reinforce General Sherman. The day was 
cloudy, and we were thankful, as it kept the deep dust from ris- 
ing somewhat. We reached the bridge at dark and went into 
bivouac. I was on a detail to guard the prisoners during the 
night. The paroled prisoners are all being sent out of Vicksburg 
to their homes. They are a hard-looking set of men. 

Tuesday, 14th — We lay here in bivouac at Black river bridge 
all day, and we are glad for the chance to rest and clean our 
clothes. The cars from Vicksburg can run only to the river, 
since the bridge is burned and the railroad track is torn up for 
five miles east of the river. A train load of provisions came out 
from Vicksburg today, and a part of the provisions and ammu- 
nition have been loaded upon wagons and started with an escort 
for Jackson. 1 

Wednesday, 15th — A train of provisions and ammunition ar- 
rived from Vicksburg this morning. Late in the afternoon they 
finished loading the wagons with the provisions and ammunition 
for Jackson, and our regiment was ordered to accompany them. 
We started late and after marching six miles stopped for the 
night. We received orders to keep a sharp lookout for the rebels' 
cavalry, as they had crossed the Pearl river and had captured and 
burned a part of the train just ahead of ours. 

Thursday, 16th — We left our bivouac with the wagon train 
at an early hour and moved on quite rapidly, expecting to be at- 
tacked at any moment. We passed the place on the road where the 
train just ahead of us was attacked by the rebel cavalry, which 
captured and burned fifteen of the wagons, taking with them the 
mules and carrying off the drivers and guards as prisoners. This 
was a terribly hard day for us. We were not allowed to climb 
the wagons, but were ordered to keep up with them, and with 
muskets loaded and bayonets fixed, be ready to fight at the drop 
of a hat. Then, too, the weather was awfully hot, and the 
dust kicked up by the mules was stifling; besides this, we were 

'The men generally dreaded this kind of service, for it was exceed- 
ingly dangerous. Then, too, much of the journey had to be made on 
the run — but it is a soldier's business to obey orders and do the best 
he can. — A. G. D. 



130 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(July, 186S) 

almost famished, the little water we could find being unfit for 
use because of its sickly odor. But late in the afternoon we ar- 
rived at Clinton, where we were relieved by another regiment and 
went into camp with our brigade which was stationed here. 

Friday, 17th — We heard that our wagon train went through 
to Jackson without attack, and that the rebels evacuated the 
place this morning, with Sherman's forces in hot pursuit. We 
hear that Johnston, after crossing the Pearl river, burned the 
bridges behind him and is now in rapid retreat on the other side. 
News came that Meade had taken Richmond, Virginia, together 
with thirty thousand prisoners. Things are very lively here to- 
day — there is singing and rejoicing. 

Saturday, 18th — Our wagon trains now move unmolested back 
and forth from Vicksburg to Jackson, since there are few of the 
rebels' cavalry left in this section. Our brigade is to remain 
here at Clinton as a reserve to escort wagon trains when needed. 
We hear that Sherman is still after Johnston. Our camp here 
is quite low and damp, and a great many of the boys are coming 
down with the ague. 

Sunday, 19th — Company E with three other companies, one 
from each regiment, went out on picket this morning. Our com- 
pany is stationed on the south side of a vacant field. Off to the 
north on the other side of the field and just in the edge of the 
timber on high ground, we can see the rebel cavalry, but they 
are careful to keep their distance. We have fine times on picket 
now, with little danger of being attacked and plenty of fruit to 
eat. We have green corn, too, and the fields nearby are being 
pretty well picked over. One of the boys came in with a hun- 
dred ears of corn. He roasted fifteen of them in the campfire 
ashes, ate all of them, and declared that he could eat two or three 
more. 

Monday, 20th — We came in from picket this morning and this 
afternoon moved our regimental camp onto higher ground. Some 
of our boys are having a time with the ague and fever. The Fif- 
teenth and Sixteenth Regiments were ordered out to Miller's 
Creek to guard a wagon train. The Thirty-fifth Iowa passed us 
on their way to Vicksburg with five hundred prisoners from John- 
ston's army. Orders came to prepare to march. 

Tuesday, 21st — Our brigade started for Vicksburg this after- 



THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI 131 

(July, 1863) 

noon. We covered five miles and went into bivouac. It is ex- 
tremely hot, and having had no rain for so long, the roads are 
very dusty. Our entire army is falling back to Vicksburg. 

Wednesday, 22d — We started this morning at daylight and 
marched all day. We stopped for the night along Baker's Creek, 
just beyond Edward's Station. The roads are alive with troops 
returning to Vicksburg. It is reported that Johnston's army is 
falling back to Columbus, Mississippi. 

Thursday, 23d — We were off by 4 o'clock this morning and 
reached Big Black river bridge by noon. It had rained very 
hard here yesterday and last night, overflowing the river and 
causing the deep dust to become deep mud. This made our trav- 
eling very heavy, and since the rain set in again this afternoon, 
we moved on only about three miles and went into bivouac. 

Friday, 24th — We remained here in bivouac all day. Orders 
came for our brigade to return to Black river bridge and remain 
there until relieved by General Sherman. The cars are coming 
through now from Vicksburg twice a day. We are very anxious 
for mail, having had none for many days, and are disappointed 
in not receiving any today. We put in our time today cleaning 
clothes. 

Saturday, 25th — Our brigade returned to the bridge and went 
into camp, with Colonel Chambers in command of the entire post. 
Our army field hospital is located here and the convalescents are 
being cared for in it. Refugees by the thousands are at this 
place and are still pouring in by the hundreds from every direc- 
tion, ahead of Sherman's returning army. It is a wonderful 
sight to see ; they are of all colors and ages, though mostly women 
and children. I bought a gold pen today from the sutler for $2.00, 
and had the misfortune to lose it before night. 

Sunday, 26th — We were relieved by an Iowa brigade from 
Sherman's army, which just arrived, but we remained in bivouac 
all day, awaiting orders. One of General Sherman's foraging 
trains came in ; they are going to forage for oats. News came 
that there was fighting going on at Charleston, South Carolina. 
It was quite hot this morning, and in the afternoon we had 
a hard rainstorm. A great many of the boys in camp here are 
sick with the chills, while others are almost worn out by the hard 
service. 



132 BOWNINGS CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(July, 1863) 



Chapter XII. 
On Guard at Vicksburg and the Fruitless Expedition to Mon- 
roe, Louisiana. July 27-September 3. 

Monday, 2jth — Our brigade started for Vicksburg at 4 o'clock 
this afternoon. We moved only four miles, when we stopped for 
the night. The country is very rough and the heavy rains have 
made the roads very muddy. 

Tuesday, 28th — We started early this morning and though it 
was hot and sultry, we reached Vicksburg at 10 a. m. So we 
finally entered Vicksburg after more than eight months in try- 
ing to take the place. In the afternoon we moved out a few 
miles to the north of town and went into bivouac. While in 
Vicksburg we saw some of the paroled prisoners leaving for their 
homes. They were indeed sorrowful-looking beings — all in rags 
and without food ; yet they were ready to fight for their cause to 
the bitter end. 

Wednesday, 29th — We passed a miserable night, for we had 
no tents and the ground was wet from yesterday's rain ; besides, 
the ground is so rough and hilly that we can hardly find a place 
big enough to camp on. Things dragged on slowly this morn- 
ing, so I had a chance to run around some to view the fortifica- 
tions. The rebels were strongly fortified, and had dug large 
caves under ground at the foot of the hills just off from the road- 
way to protect themselves from our shells. Troops are going 
aboard the transports, some down the river to reinforce General 
Banks at Port Hudson, and others north to aid General Dodge in 
Tennessee and northern Mississippi. 

Thursday, 30th — It is quite hot and sultry. There is no news 
of importance. Colonel Hall has again taken command of our 
brigade. I bought a two-pound can of butter, paying $1.25, and 
five loaves of bread for fifty cents. 

Friday, 31st — The weather continues hot. Our men are at 
work raising the gunboat "Cincinnati," which was sunk during 
the siege of Vicksburg. She was a fine boat. A detail of men 
was sent to bring our tents today, but they failed to get them. 



ON GUARD AT VICKSBORO 133 

AUGUST, 1863. 

Saturday, «,_The quartermaster received some clothing for 

$ 46 re Tcl ^V T ° f Pa " tS fOT ? 3°5 and a shin o 
■f a " Uniber ° f men from <*<* company will be ner- 

m..ted ,0 go home on a thirty-day furlough, and the boy soiZr 

ixiz^::^ forward to ,he time - ~— « " 

Way, ^-The teams went to the wharf down in Vicks- 
burg for our tents. The three boys from our company drawtg 
furloughs were Sylvester Daniels, Daniel E. Swee, and I Ma or 

^Tn^ ' eft f ° r h ° me **» °" * '"irty-day furlough , 
I sent $1.00 with Sweet to buy postage stamps for me and $200 
.0 buy me a gold pen.' I a , so sent $5-0o to ? ather fay ™°° 

, nr 1 ??$ { d ~ I WaS °" Camp 8 uard toda - v - We got our tents 
and pitched them today, and also, because of the fntense Tea 

ere S e b V n H ° nt ° f ^ by ■"** U " forks -^»- 
g rrisl du v O " ' h , erePOrt tha ' We are t0 remai " "ere on 
P?i*" * " W ° rk ' S "^ ' ight ' h ~ ' - - >-e no 

tin/uTtt'h "t^ hCat ' intenSe t0dav - We finished Put- 
ting up the brush shades and aIso CQm Pt 

y XeT Th° re ; ^T^enta, M ^ ™ d ' ~ 
daj, wlule the Thirteenth Iowa received their pay. Major Fos 
ter ,s now m command of our regiment 

Wednesday, 5 M_The heat continues as yesterday. The Elev- 

e h iv °d? he ;; g D ne<i T Payr0llS t0day ' a " d "* F " fowa 
received them pay. I was on fatigue duty all day. We had dress 
parade this evening for the firs, time since May igth. Thetov 
came on, ,„ fine style. Troops are leaving every day to reinfece 
different commands of the army of the West rant °'ce 

Thursday 6th-The Eleventh received pay today I rot 
has 7 ^ m r, meDt fOT tHe tW ° m0nths . 'or *e Gov'erLfm 

sZtTZZu " a "° tment r °" S '" aS SCndi "S a PO^onTa 
soldier s pay to h,s parents is called. Our colonel ordered a bake 

rnZ^ofhaXr*' so in a few ■*■ - - *- «££z 



134 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(August, 1863) 

Friday, yth — It is quite sultry today. There is no news of 
any importance. The Sixteenth Iowa received their pay today. 

Saturday, 8th — Quite pleasant today. We cleaned up our 
clothing and accouterments for inspection. We are getting fixed 
up very nicely in our camp and all are feeling fine. Only a few 
of our boys are sick and in the hospital at present. I loaned 
George Toyne (Company E) $25.00 today, until next pay day. 1 

Sunday, gth — I was detailed on a foraging party today. There 
were two hundred men and one hundred wagons, accompanied 
by a squad of cavalry as a picket guard. We went up the Yazoo 
river bottoms about five miles and loaded our wagons with green 
corn, which we found in abundance. It was very hot, and the 
work was strenuous, besides its being on the Lord's Day — but 
such is the life of a soldier. 

Monday, 10th — We are living on fresh bread now ; we got our 
first today, baked in the new oven. Each man is allowed to draw 
a one-pound loaf per day. We again have company drill twice 
a day, with dress parade at 5 o'clock. The weather is fearfully 
hot, day and night. 

Tuesday, nth — No news from the Army of the Potomac nor 
from Charleston, South Carolina. 

Wednesday, 12th — We had a fearful windstorm today, though 
no rain. Everything in camp is moving along fine and the boys 
are quite cheerful. We have plenty of wood, canebrake and 
Spanish moss for our use and our camp is in good shape. 

Thursday, 13th — It is rumored that our brigade is to go to 
Natchez, Mississippi, in a few days, but we cannot tell whether 
it is true or not. I was on police duty today, for the first time, 
down in Vicksburg. There are more than a hundred men de- 
tailed each day to keep order in the city, and nobody is allowed 
on the streets without a pass from the provost marshal. We 
work on eight-hour shifts, and each man has a certain part of a 
street to patrol for two hours at a time, after which he is off duty 
for a period of four hours. I was on duty in a residence dis- 
trict, and while I was walking my beat, a lady came out of her 
home for an afternoon's walk. I of course had to ask her to 
show her pass. I must have looked pretty fierce to her, with 

'Mr. Downing explained that Toyne's family at home was in need 
and that it was a very common thing for a single man to loan a mar- 
ried comrade money to send home to his family. — Ed. 



ON GUARD AT VICKSBURG 135 

(August, 1863) 

loaded gun, fixed bayonet and all accouterments on. I asked her 
kindly for her pass and she answered that she had none, where- 
upon J told her what my orders were; that she would have to 
return to her home and not come out on the streets again with- 
out a pass, or I would have to take her to the provost marshal's 
office. She thanked me very politely as I closed her gate, saying 
that she wanted to obey orders and that she would send out and 
procure a pass before going on the street again. This lady is 
certainly experiencing war at her own dooryard, yet she showed 
the good breeding of the Southern lady. 

Friday, 14th — All is quiet. Orders came today to send all of 
the sick home on thirty-day furloughs. 

Saturday, 13th — This is my birthday — twenty-one years old 
today. I was detailed to help dig a grave for the body of Rufus 
C. Walter, of Company G, who died last night. He had been 
wounded and lived here in camp in a hammock which was tied 
to trees, or to posts set in the ground when there were no trees. 

Sunday, 16th — We had regimental inspection this morning at 
8 o'clock. The regiment showed itself in splendid order. A man 
from the Fifteenth Iowa was buried this morning, having died of 
fever. 1 Some of the sick boys of our regiment started home to- 
day on their furloughs. Mark Titus was the only one from our 
company, though some of the boys still have the fever. 

Monday, 17th — Our company went out on picket this morn- 
ing. There is always danger of cavalry raids, particularly even- 
ings. Some more of the sick boys were examined this morning 
by the doctor. The boys were hoping to get a sick furlough. 
There is some homesickness in the regiment, but a number will 
be made well by a thirty-day furlough. I am in good health and 
it is more than a year since I have had to report to the doctor, 
and then he marked me "not fit for duty" for only three days. 

Tuesday, 18th — We were relieved from picket this morning. 
It looks pretty bad in walking the streets of Vicksburg to see the 
destruction caused by our shells. Many buildings are complete- 
ly demolished, while others have great holes made in their walls 
— I counted as high as ten holes in a wall. I noticed a shell ly- 
ing in the bottom of a cistern, whose fuse must have been put out 

1 John Chrismore, Knoxville, Iowa. He died August 15th and was 
buried in National Cemetery at Vicksburg, Section G, grave 172. — Roster 
Iowa Soldiers, Vol. II, p. 926. 



136 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(August, 186S) 

when it struck the water and so it only knocked a hole in the 
wall, but it drained the water out of the cistern. 

Wednesday, 19th — A thunderstorm last night cooled the air 
some, though it is still extremely hot. There was a boat blown 
up this morning down at the wharf and thirty or forty lives were 
lost, mostly negroes. The boat was being loaded with ammu- 
nition and the explosion was caused by a negro's dropping a 
box of loaded shells. A number of persons thrown into the water 
were rescued from drowning. 

Thursday, 20th — It has rained most of the day. On dress 
parade this evening orders were read for the brigade to prepare 
to march in the morning with ten days' rations and one hundred 
rounds of ammunition. The sick are to be left in camp. 

Friday, 21st — We packed our knapsacks and started at 10 
o'clock for the landing two miles above Vicksburg and a mile 
below our camp. Our regiment with the Thirteenth went on 
board the "Fanny Bell," and at dark started up the river. 

Saturday, 22d — After an all night run, we landed this morn- 
ing at daylight at Goodrich's Landing, on the Louisiana side, 
from which place we marched two miles up the river and went 
into bivouac, where we remained all day. There were four bri- 
gades in the expedition, comprising about five thousand men, and 
commanded by Brigadier General Stephenson. There is a camp 
of several thousand negro refugees here, old men, women and 
children, they having fled from the plantations. They are fed on 
Government rations doled out to them, which cannot take the 
place of their accustomed corn bread and pork. They are poor- 
ly cared for, the place being a miserable camp of filthy hovels, and 
are dying by the hundreds of disease and neglect. 

Sunday, 23d — Our expedition broke camp this morning and 
started for Monroe, Louisiana, on the Washita river, seventy- 
five miles northwest of Vicksburg. By 1 o'clock we had covered 
ten miles, in a burning hot sun, 1 without water to drink, and 
through neglected fields of hemp standing from ten to fifteen feet 
high. The cavalry went in front to break down the hemp, and 
were followed by a six-gun battery and our army wagons, after 

'Oh, that hot sun on our heads! It was frightful! There was no 
air to stir even a leaf; it was like going through a fiery furnace! But 
stopping in that God-forsaken country to hunt for water would have 
been a greater punishment than going on without water — so we kept 
straight on. — A. G. D. 



ON GUARD AT VICKSBURG 137 

(August, 1863) 

which the hemp was pretty well flattened for the infantry to pass 
over. The men and animals suffered awfully. Many artillery horses 
gave out and some of the men were sunstruck. Many of the boys 
fell out of the ranks during the trip and had to be cared for by 
the doctor. Finally at the end of the ten-mile journey we reached 
the banks of the Tensas river, and though the water was stag- 
nant, in mere pools, we threw ourselves down, brushed aside the 
green scum and drank that hot, sickly water to quench our thirst. 

Monday, 24th — Spending the night here we started early this 
morning and moved on to Bayou Mason only seven miles fur- 
ther on. Here we remained during the balance of the day and 
for the night. There being no bridge, we had to wade the bayou 
to enter the town. Our cavalry routed about one hundred and 
fifty of the rebels in a camp on the west bank of the bayou. 
Most of our way today was shaded by forest trees. The 
country here is low and heavily timbered with cypress and the 
ground is covered with masses of palm leaf. We noticed drift- 
wood high up in the trees, some forty or fifty feet, and were told 
by the natives that it was carried there last winter when the 
"Yanks" cut the levee up at Lake Providence, flooding the whole 
country. So we were permitted to see some of the results of our 
attempt at directing the waters of the Mississippi. 

Tuesday, 25th — We took up our march at 4 o'clock this morn- 
ing and journeyed seventeen miles, when we stopped for the 
night. Our brigade took the rear, the Eleventh Regiment act- 
ing as rear guard. The day's march was through swamps and 
bayous and land heavily timbered. Now and then we noticed a 
field with a little log hut in it, occupied by a poor white family, 
whose head was away with the rebel army, or with a cavalry 
squad in this section. 

Wednesday, 26th — Getting an early start again this morning, 
we covered sixteen miles and camped for the night on Oak Ridge. 
This ridge is on a dead level and only about twenty feet higher 
than the bottoms where the cypress grow so luxuriantly. It is 
covered with oak and fine large walnut, also magnolia and a few 
other semi-tropical trees. To reach the ridge we had to wade 
across Bayou Lee. Our cavalry had preceded us and routed a 
small detachment of rebel cavalry. They were nicely fixed up at 
this place. Our boys went in on their nerve at foraging. 



138 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(August, 1863) 

Thursday, 2jth — Leaving our Oak Ridge bivouac early this 
morning we journeyed fifteen miles more and stopped for the 
night on the banks of Bayou Said, only seven miles from Mon- 
roe, our destination. During the day we crossed another ridge 
known as Pine Ridge, which is eight miles across and about twen- 
ty feet above the surrounding land. It is beautifully covered with 
yellow pine, growing so straight and tall, seventy-five to one hun- 
dred feet. We noticed a few small clearings with log huts. 
This is the worst bivouac we have yet occupied. It is full of 
poisonous reptiles and insects, centipedes, jiggers, woodticks, liz- 
ards, scorpions and snakes of all kinds — I have never seen the 
like. Some of the boys killed two big, spotted, yellow snakes 
and put them across the road — they measured about fifteen feet 
each. The ground is covered with leaves ten inches deep, and 
the water of the bayou has a layer of leaves and moss fully two 
inches thick. 1 

Friday, 28th — We had company inspection this morning and 
then started out for Monroe, expecting to have a little fight in 
taking the town. But upon reaching the place we found that the 
rebels had withdrawn, leaving at 6 o'clock in the morning. Gen- 
eral Logan's Division entered the town at 10 o'clock, while our 
brigade had come within a mile of town, where we again went 
into bivouac. In the afternoon there was a heavy rain. The 
rebels have a hospital here, with about fourteen hundred sick and 
wounded. Monroe is a nice town, well situated, and has some 
fine buildings. Strict orders had been given us not to kill any 
livestock on this expedition ; all persons caught in the act were to 
be arrested. But some of the boys of our regiment had killed a 
hog and were in the act of cutting it up when the general of our 
division came riding along with his staff. The boys were caught 
in the very act. General Stephenson halted, and wanting to know 
by what authority they had killed the hog, he was going to have 
them arrested on the spot. But they had one fellow equal to the 
occasion, who explained that they had killed a wild hog. They 
were out in the timber getting wood with which to build fires, 

1 This proved to be our most dangerous journey in all our four years' 
service. The natives told us the next morning that no Southern sol- 
diers could have been hired to do what we did. I have often wondered 
and would like to know, just as we did then, why we were sent into this 
forsaken section of the country, and during the most sickly time of the 
year, at that! The natives we saw were a white-livered set; they were 
all ardent sympathizers of the secession cause. — A. G. D. 



ON GUARD AT VICKSBURG 139 

(August, 1863) 

when some wild hogs there made a charge upon them, and in self- 
defense they had killed the boldest one ; they then thought that 
as they had killed it they might as well bring it in and have some 
fresh pork. The general rode on. 

Saturday, 29th — We had a heavy rain during the night and 
the day opened cloudy and dismal. Our entire expedition started 
on the return journey for Vicksburg. We covered twenty-six 
miles and camped for the night on Oak Ridge. Some of the men 
had found too much of the "Southern bay rum," and imbibing 
quite freely, became so topheavy on the way that they had to be 
hauled all day. 

Sunday, 30th — We left Oak Ridge and covering but ten miles 
went into bivouac on the banks of Heff river. Some of the men 
on account of the bad water and climate are suffering with the 
chills and fever. The boys were raiding all the sweet potato 
patches they found along the way, today. 

Monday, 31st — We left Heff river and marched through to 
Bayou Mason, eighteen miles, and stopped for the night. While 
marching today some of us heard the report of a rifle, and we 
learned that a member of the Seventh Missouri had committed 
suicide by shooting himself. He stepped out of rank into the 
brush and putting the muzzle of his gun under his chin, touched 
off the trigger with his toe and blew his head off. We were mus- 
tered for pay upon reaching Bayou Mason. 

SEPTEMBER, 1863. 

Tuesday, 1st — We lay here at Bayou Mason all day to rest. 
The boys are very tired after marching for twelve days, with the 
weather much of the time so fearfully hot. Then on account of 
the bad water, exposure and fatigue, a large number are sick, 
many of them not able to carry their accouterments, while others 
are too sick to walk and have to be hauled. The boys made the 
sweet potatoes suffer today. Received orders to start tonight at 
midnight and march to the Mississippi river. 

Wednesday, 2d — We left Bayou Mason at midnight and 
marched through to the river, eighteen miles, without stopping, 
reaching Goodrich's Landing at 7 o'clock this morning. Gen- 
eral Stephenson planned our march so that we should pass through 



140 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(September, 1863) 

that terrible ten miles of hemp at night, thus avoiding the heat. 1 
Our brigade led in the march all the way. The day is very hot 
and sultry. General Logan's Division has taken the boats down 
the river for Vicksburg. 

Thursday, 3d — The boats arrived this morning and we em- 
barked immediately, pushing out at 10 o'clock for Vicksburg. 
The Eleventh and the Sixteenth Iowa were on board the "Samuel 
Gotz." We were crowded on the boat, and the heat of the sun 
was frightful. We reached Vicksburg at 3 o'clock in the after- 
noon, and disembarking, marched to our old camp. 



*A11 were thankful to him for it; for, if there is such a place as hell, 
this piece of road is a sample of the road leading to Satan's residence. 
—A. G. D. 



FEVER AND AGUE— FORTIFYING VICKSBURG 141 

(September, 1863) 



Chapter XIII. 

A Siege of Fever and Ague. Fortifying and Patrolling Vicks- 

burg. September 4-December 2. 

Friday, 4th — The weather today is intensely hot. Those who 
are not sick spent the day in washing their clothing. Over half 
of the boys in our regiment are sick with the fever and ague, all 
because of the very poor water we had to drink while on the 
march, the weather being very hot and sultry. 1 

Saturday, 5th — No news of importance. The weather con- 
tinues hot and sultry. Many more of the sick are being sent 
home on furloughs or taken to hospitals. Although half of our 
number are sick with the chills and fever, yet a kind Providence 
has certainly favored the soldiers of the Union armies in this re- 
gion ; for though in past years it was a common thing for the 
people here to have a siege of cholera or yellow fever, we have 
thus far been spared such a scourge. 

Sunday, 6th — The sick in our regiment were sent away this 
morning, thirty-one in all. Those who could stand the trip North 
were given a thirty-day furlough, and the very sick were taken 
to the general hospital here in Vicksburg. The men whose thir- 
ty-day furloughs have expired are returning to their regiments. 

Monday, yth — Things are quiet and there is no news of im- 
portance. Our chief concern is taking care of the sick, as the 
weather is yet quite hot. This is a lonesome day with so many 
of our company sick in the hospital, while six are home on fur- 
loughs and three more are soon to go. This leaves but a few 
of us for duty. I tell you, it looks pretty discouraging. 

Tuesday, 8th — Captain McLoney is going home for thirty days 
and there are still others from our regiment going on furloughs. 
We have no drilling, dress parade, camp guard or picket duty to 
perform, nor yet fatigue duty — our whole duty at present is to 
help care for the sick boys. 

1 The results accomplished by this expedition were meager indeed, 
while the suffering- endured by the men engaged in it was very great 
Many died from the effects of the hardships to which they were sub- 
jected, and many never fully recovered from the diseases contracted 
while passing through that malarious region, and that during the hot- 
test days of the summer. — A. G. D. 



142 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(September, 1863) 

Wednesday, pth — Still more of the boys are coming down 
with the ague. I had a shake of it myself today, for the first 
time in my life. I passed through all the degrees of fever and 
chill. Am thankful tonight to find that I am still among the liv- 
ing. 

Thursday, ioth — I reported to the doctor this morning for the 
second time in the space of two years. The doctor thought that 
I was in no immediate danger, for which opinion I thought he 
was not very well posted, but he gave me the "Blue Mass" pills, 
telling me to be sure to take them and not throw them away as 
so many of the boys do. I told him that I did not come for the 
purpose of getting medicine to throw away, for I had been too 
near dying. He assured me that I was a long way from dying. 1 

Friday, nth — We moved our camp to the south of Vicksburg, 
two miles, just within the fortifications. The ground is low and 
level here, and the water is scarce. It is not a good place for the 
sick to get back their health. But there is danger of a raid by 
the rebels' cavalry from this point. 

Saturday, 12th — Company E went out on picket this morning. 
I did not accompany them, as I had another chill yesterday and 
was not strong enough to go. The teams brought in our poles, 
lumber and planks and those of us left in camp worked all day 
building bunks and putting up the brush shades in front of the 
tents. 

Sunday, 13th — There was regimental inspection this morning 
with accouterments on and in full dress. Some of the companies 
have the appearance of a "corporal's guard." Company E, being 
on picket, was not on inspection, but later they were relieved. 
The Thirteenth Iowa went down town to act as a provost guard. 
Our chaplain having resigned, we have no religious services at 
present. 

Monday, 14th — Companies A and B started out with teams 
on a foraging expedition of three days. A detail of forty men 
was sent down to the wharf to unload a boat of ammunition. 

Tuesday, 13th — The weather continues sultry and hot. We 
have our camp fixed up quite comfortably again. There are not 

ir rhe doctor's exact words were: "Oh, you're a long ways from 
dying!" Perhaps I was more frightened than sick. But when a sick 
man is near a regular hospital and sees from three to six dead men 
carried out every day to the "bone-yard," as the boys used to say, it 
does not look very encouraging to him. — A. G. D. 



FEVER AND AGUE— FORTIFYING VICKSBURG 143 

(September, 1863) 

many of the sick in the regiment now, most of them having been 
sent away, and others of us who were sick are getting stronger. 
I am on duty again, having been to see the doctor only the one 
time. 

Wednesday, 16th — I was on division guard today. There 
are several negro regiments in camp in the vicinity of Vicksburg ; 
they made a good appearance today for their first time on review. 
They were reviewed by the commander of the post. As a rule 
there are inferior officers in charge, and it would be a good thing 
if they would drill in the manual of arms themselves. 

Thursday, i/th — We had a cool rainstorm this afternoon 
which was quite refreshing. The sick in the general hospital 
here in Vicksburg are improving and are being sent home on 
thirty-day furloughs. 

Friday, 18th — It is reported in our camps that General Rose- 
crans has taken Chattanooga, Tennessee, and that General Burn- 
side took two thousand prisoners and twelve pieces of artillery 
without firing a gun. We hope that the report is true, for Chat- 
tanooga will afford our army there a strongly-fortified place. 

Saturday, ipth — Company E went out on the picket line to- 
day. The nights are getting cooler and the middle of the day, 
though warm, is not so oppressive. Since our rainstorm it begins 
to look like autumn ; the trees are beginning to turn various colors 
and the sun shining over the timbered hills in the late afternoon 
makes a landscape grand to look upon. 

Sunday, 20th — We had dress parade this evening at 5 o'clock 
and important orders were read to the command. The first is, 
that our division is now to be known as the First Division of the 
Seventeenth Army Corps ; second, that on a march we are to 
carry only nineteen pounds, and third, that we are to be ready 
to form a line of battle at a moment's notice. The reason for 
the last is that the rebels have driven in our pickets on the right 
and may make a raid. News came that a battle is being fought 
on the Chickamauga river, to the south of Chattanooga, with 
heavy loss on both sides. 

Monday, 21st — Three companies were sent out on picket to- 
day. I was on camp guard today. It is reported that the battle 
south of Chattanooga is still in progress, and also that our gun- 
boats are throwing shells into Charleston, South Carolina. We 



144 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(September, 1863) 

hear that there was a riot in Mobile, when six hundred women 
and children demanded bread of the city. 

Tuesday, 22d — Everything is very quiet. We learned that 
Alexander Ragan of Company E died at Benton Barracks, St. 
Louis, on the 9th of this month. His is the first death in our 
company since August 3, 1862, when Ebenezer McCullough died 
at Corinth, Mississippi, on that date. 

Wednesday, 23d — The weather is quite cool and the boys are 
beginning to fix up for winter by siding up the tents and build- 
ing chimneys. There is some prospect of our brigade having to 
remain here for the winter. The Second Brigade of our division 
is still at Natchez. We are raising our tents and bunks about 
twenty-four inches from the ground. The openings around the 
tents we close up with boards torn from buildings, and having 
the wedge tent which accommodates four, we build our bunks for 
two men, one on either side, with the fireplace and chimney in 
the rear between the bunks. This makes a pretty good house for 
winter quarters. 

Thursday, 24th — There is no news of importance. I have en- 
tirely recovered and am in good health again. Our regiment, as 
also the entire brigade, is slowly regaining its strength and in- 
creasing in number. The boys from the hospitals are taking their 
places and those on furlough are returning and bringing new re- 
cruits with them. 

Friday, 25th — It is quite warm today. I was on fatigue duty, 
accompanying the quartermaster's wagons into Vicksburg to draw 
supplies for the regiment. The bales of hay and sacks of corn 
taxed our strength in loading them. Some of the boys on fur- 
lough returned today. 

Saturday, 26th — There is still some shaking with the ague 
among the boys, but the health of our regiment is gaining slowly. 
We have no drill in camp at present, but we are on duty al- 
most every day, our routine running as follows : Picket duty 
every other day, and the alternating days on fatigue duty either 
in Vicksburg or in camp, and then, once a week for twenty-four 
hours at a time, we are on provost duty in Vicksburg. 

Sunday, 27th — It continues quite warm and all is quiet. We 
had company inspection early this morning, after which those 



FEVER AND AGUE— FORTIFYING VICKSBURG 145 

(September, 1863) 

not on duty were free to go about, and I attended services at the 
Baptist church in the city. It seemed like home to attend a regu- 
lar church service on a Sunday morning. This church building 
is of brick and during the siege four or five cannon balls passed 
through the walls at different places. 

Monday, 28th — I went out on picket today, on the public high- 
way from Vicksburg to Warrington. We have to maintain a 
heavy picket with strong reserve at all the public highways lead- 
ing from this place. 

Tuesday, 29th — I came in from picket this morning in a rain 
which continued all day. We learned that a boat twenty miles 
up the river from Vicksburg, burned and sank last night in mid- 
stream, with a large number of lives lost. The boat was loaded 
with provisions for the army here at Vicksburg. 

Wednesday, 30th — It rained all day. I was on fatigue, help- 
ing to clean up the review ground. We are to have general in- 
spection in the next few days by General McArthur, our division 
commander, and General McPherson, corps commander. Our 
company is returning to its old-time form and numbers. 

OCTOBER, 1863. 

Thursday, 1st — We had brigade inspection this morning at 7 
o'clock, by General McArthur. Colonel Hall of our regiment is 
in command. There were three regiments of infantry, one of 
cavalry and three batteries. In the afternoon I was on fatigue 
duty, and part of the time in a heavy rain ; this is our third suc- 
cessive day of rain. 

Friday, 2d — The weather is quite cool for this time of year 
in the "Sunny South." There is no news of any importance. 
Things are very quiet. 

Saturday, 3d — Orders have been issued to fortify Vicksburg 
so that a small force can hold the place against one five times the 
number ; the fortifications are to be on the highest ground in the 
city. I was on duty at a picket post three miles below Vicks- 
burg, on the east bank of the Mississippi. There were four pri- 
vates and two corporals at the post, the corporals taking their 
turns in standing out in front as vedettes. 

Sunday, 4th — Our brigade was reviewed this morning at 7 
o'clock by General McPherson, major-general commanding the 



146 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(October, 1863) 

Seventeenth Army Corps. The pickets were not relieved until 
about noon, and so we missed the inspection. The boys are in 
camp today reading or writing letters. 

Monday, 5th — Everything is very quiet here, although as the 
health of the men is improving our duties become more laborious. 
Every regiment that can be taken from Vicksburg is being sent 
to reinforce the armies at other posts. General Sherman has 
been ordered to proceed to Chattanooga and thus all of the Fif- 
teenth Army Corps will be taken from the vicinity of Vicksburg. 

Tuesday, 6th — Our brigade went into Vicksburg this after- 
noon at 2 o'clock to be in the review, together with the entire 
army at this place. We were reviewed by Major General U. S. 
Grant. The report in camp is that General Grant has been or- 
dered by the War Department to report at Louisville, Kentucky. 
All are sorry to see him leave. Just after dark, the Eleventh 
Iowa was ordered out on picket, it being expected that the rebel 
cavalry would make a dash into Vicksburg in the morning. 

Wednesday, Jth — Six regiments were stationed at the differ- 
ent roads last night to reinforce the regular pickets. But the 
rebels did not make their appearance as it was reported they 
would. Our regiment was relieved at 10 o'clock this morning by 
the Thirteenth Iowa. We were struck by a fearful rain and 
windstorm last night. 

Thursday, 8th — The Eleventh Iowa went out again on picket 
this morning, relieving the Thirteenth. I did not accompany the 
regiment, because I was on camp guard. The weather is quite 
cool and there is no news of any importance. 

Friday, pth — The rebels have made no attempt at a raid into 
Vicksburg, but seem to be at their old trick of making our offi- 
cers believe that they are in this vicinity in large force. Our 
officers, however, are on their guard, and are not to be caught 
napping. They continue a strong support of the pickets. The 
Eleventh and the Thirteenth again exchanged places, our boys 
coming from picket. A report came that Rosecrans had been 
whipped at Chattanooga, by Bragg's army. 1 

*In fact, Rosecrans with his army in Chattanooga had been sur- 
rounded by Bragg, who had possession of the railroad, and Rosecrans' 
army had to depend upon long hauls by wagon for their supplies. — A. 
G. D. 



FEVER AND AGUE— FORTIFYING VICKSBURG 147 

(October, 1863) 

Saturday, ioth — The Thirteenth came in and the Eleventh 
again went out on picket this morning. I was relieved from camp 
guard after two days' steady duty, and accompanied my regiment 
on picket. About dark our brigade received orders to be pre- 
pared to march at 6 in the morning, with one day's rations in 
haversacks and four days' rations in the wagons. 

Sunday, nth— We left this morning according to orders and 
marched fifteen miles, when we stopped to eat dinner. We then 
continued our march about five miles farther, and at 4 o'clock 
we reached the Black river bridge, just ten miles out from Vicks- 
burg, thus making a circuit of twenty miles to reach this impor- 
tant point. 

Monday, 12th— We remained here in bivouac all day, and shall 
probably continue at this place several days. Our brigade was 
sent here to relieve the Third Brigade of General Tuttle's expe- 
dition toward Jackson, Mississippi. It turned very warm today. 
It is raining this evening, and we have no tents in which to stay. 

Tuesday, 13th— This is election day for the soldiers of Iowa, 
they having been given the right to vote while in the army. No 
one is permitted to electioneer for his favorite candidate and those 
who persisted in doing so were arrested and put in the guard- 
house. General Tuttle, the commander of a division, is from 
Iowa and is the candidate for governor of the State on the Demo- 
cratic ticket, against Colonel Stone, formerly of the Twenty-sec- 
ond Iowa Regiment, who is the Republican candidate for gover- 
nor. 1 

Wednesday, 14th— General Tuttle's division left early this 
morning on their expedition, carrying eight days' rations. Gen- 
eral Logan's Division is also in the command, and there is a total 
of about ten thousand men— infantry, artillery and cavalry. Our 
brigade moved into the tents of the Third Brigade of Tuttle's 
Division, the Eleventh Iowa occupying those of the Fifth Minne- 



sota. 



Thursday, 15th— The weather is quite cool and pleasant and 
we are enjoying the rest afforded us, for the duties here are not 
laborious : all we have to do is to keep the camp clean and serve 
on picket. We had regimental inspection this afternoon. 

j'Stone was elected, even without the soldier vote bv a lar~e ma 



148 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(October, 1863) 

Friday, 16th — I went on picket this morning. We have to keep 
a strong picket line for fear of the rebels' cavalry making a dash 
into this place and burning the provisions stored here. The large 
camp of refugees is still maintained here by the Government. 
The cars are running back and forth through here from Vicks- 
burg, coming out at 1 1 a. m. and returning to Vicksburg at 3 
p. m. 

Saturday, 17th — We had regimental dress parade this even- 
ing, after which an order was read to us giving us our drilling- 
program while stationed here. Beginning tomorrow the Elev- 
enth and the Thirteenth are to have skirmish drill in the after- 
noon of every other day, and the Fifteenth and Sixteenth are 
to practice battalion drill on the alternating days. 

Sunday, 18th — The Thirteenth went up to Messenger's ford 
on picket. We had our regular company inspection this morn- 
ing. In the afternoon I went to the refugees' camp to hear a 
colored man preach. There was a large number of negroes and 
they had a joyful time; their singing and shouting beat all that 
I have ever listened to. They were so happy that they did not 
cease shouting until after sundown. 

Monday, igth — We were out this morning for our skirmish 
drill. The scouting expedition returned from Jackson this after- 
noon and occupied their old camp, while we had to go into open 
bivouac for the night. The expedition had little difficulty in 
routing the rebels at Jackson, but lost five or six men killed and 
quite a number wounded. 

Tuesday, 20th — General Logan's Division returned to Vicks- 
burg today. Our brigade pickets were called in and we were ex- 
pecting also to return to Vicksburg, but had to remain here in 
bivouac all day. The health of our regiment is quite good now, 
and most of those away on sick furlough have returned to the 
regiment. 

Wednesday, 21st — Our orders came and we left this morning 
at 6 o'clock for Vicksburg. We arrived in camp at noon, twelve 
miles from where we started. All is quiet here and no news of 
any importance. 

Thursday, 2 2d — We are glad to be at home again in camp 
after eleven days' absence. Most of that time we were in bivouac 



FEVER AND AGUE— FORTIFYING VICKSBURG 149 

(October, 1863) 

without any protection — two nights in soaking rainstorms. Our 
heavy duties begin again — fatigue duty and camp guard, four- 
teen of our number being on guard today. Our regimental pay- 
rolls for two months' pay were made out and we signed them to- 
day. There is no news from the army in the East, and all is quiet 
here in the West. 

Friday, 23d — It rained all day, but that did not affect our camp 
routine. I was on camp guard, and large details were out at 
work, as every day, on the fortifications. 

Saturday, 24th — The weather is quite cool. I worked all day 
building a fireplace in my tent, while my bunk-mate was out on 
duty. The boys are all fixing up for winter just as if we were 
going to stay here all winter. 

Sunday, 25th — I went out on picket today. We keep a strong 
picket guard along the entire line. The rebels' cavalry are not 
as bold as they were two or three weeks ago, for they know that 
we are becoming more thoroughly entrenched every day ; be- 
sides this, they have been pretty well driven out of this section. 

Monday, 26th — Everything is quiet. A thousand men are at 
work every day on the fortifications. The fortifications are being 
built on a small scale, but are built all around the edge of town 
so that a small force can hold the place. The cannon are ar- 
ranged so that they can be turned in any direction. 

Tuesday, 27th — The Eleventh received their pay today, and 
then went out on picket. Picket exchanges are directed by the 
aid-de-camp of our brigade, who rides out every morning with 
the picket relief, and after posting them, brings the retiring picket 
into camp and disbands them. 

Wednesday, 28th — The weather is getting quite cool, particu- 
larly the nights, and a little fire in our tents in the evening makes 
it quite comfortable and homelike. It is different on picket, 
where no fires are allowed, except on the reserves' posts. Troops 
are leaving Vicksburg nearly every day, going to northern Miss- 
issippi and western Tennessee to occupy garrisons made vacant 
by General Sherman's men going to the relief of the army cooped 
up in Chattanooga. 

Thursday, 29th — It is quite pleasant today. The Mississippi 
river is slowly rising. Produce is very high here at Vicksburg 



150 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(October, 1863) 

and fruit and vegetables are scarce this fall because of the large 
armies in and around this section for more than a year. What 
little stuff has been grown by the farmers was confiscated by the 
soldiers before it was matured, so what we get is shipped down 
from the North, and we have to pay about four prices for it. Po- 
tatoes and onions are $4.00 a bushel, cheese (with worms) is fifty 
cents per pound, and butter — true, it's only forty cents a pound, 
but you can tell the article in camp twenty rods away. Vicks- 
burg being under military rule makes it difficult for the few citi- 
zens to get supplies, which they can obtain only from the small 
traders who continued in business after the surrender, or from the 
army sutlers. No farmers are allowed to come in through the 
lines without passes, and even then no farmer, unless he lives a 
long distance from Vicksburg, has anything to bring in. 

Friday, 30th — We had a downpour of rain last night which 
continued most of the day. Our camp is flooded, the dry run be- 
side it having become a raging torrent, and our camp ground is 
under water from one to four feet. Some of the boys put all 
their belongings on their bunks and others left for higher grounds. 

Saturday, 31st — The water has left our camp in a frightful 
condition, and we got orders to move the camp to higher ground 
tomorrow. This was general muster day. 1 I went on fatigue 
today. William Green of our company, not having recovered from 
his sickness, left for home this morning on a thirty-day furlough. 
I sent $50.00 to father by him. 

NOVEMBER, 1863. 

Sunday, 1st — We moved our camp about a half mile onto 
higher ground this morning. The quartermaster had our lum- 
ber and wood hauled from the old camp and we worked all day 
pitching our tents and rebuilding the bunks, fireplaces and chim- 
neys. It has been a busy day with us, although it is the Lord's 
Day, but a true soldier cannot halt when duty calls. I was very 
thankful that I did not have to be on the picket line, so that I 
could have a hand in fixing up our tent. 

Monday, 2d — It was my turn on the picket line today. Our 
picket post is three miles below Vicksburg on the main road to 

'A general "muster day" was a day observed throughout the army 
by general order mustering the soldiers for pay. — Ed. 



FEVER AND AGUE— FORTIFYING VICKSBURG 151 

(November, 1863) 

Warrington, and I was stationed right on the bank of the Miss- 
issippi. Our reserve post has one lieutenant, one sergeant, two 
corporals and thirty privates. Six men under a sergeant go out 
on the public highway from four to six miles, twice a day, to see 
that there are no rebels advancing. 

Tuesday, 3d — Though the weather has been warm for two 
days, we are fixing up our tent for any cold snap that may come 
later on, for the report now is that we will remain here at Vicks- 
burg all winter. I finished building the fireplace in my tent. The 
quartermaster has a detail of men with teams cutting and hauling 
wood from the timber for the winter. 

Wednesday, 4th — It is still quite warm. I was on fatigue at 
the fortifications. The men are pulling down some fine resi- 
dences and using the material in building the forts. It is pretty 
harsh and severe business to order a family, brave enough to 
stay all through the siege, out of their home and tear down their 
house before their eyes, to build into fortifications, but this is 
war. We are fortifying the place so that ten thousand men can 
hold it against any force that has a mind to come. 

Thursday, $th — It rained all day and on account of it the fa- 
tigue party did not work on the fortifications. Our camp num- 
ber 3 is located on the town commons, and because of no timber 
near by the northwest wind has a full sweep over the camp. No 
news of importance. 

Friday, 6th — I was on fatigue again, but on account of rain 
last night the detail did not go to work until 1 o'clock this after- 
noon. Some of the heaviest siege guns obtainable are being 
mounted on raised platforms in the forts. 

Saturday, yth — I was on fatigue duty again today. Two bri- 
gades of General Logan's Division went out to the Black river 
post to relieve General Tuttle's Division, which came in and is 
to take boat for points up the Mississippi river. 

Sunday, 8th — No work today, only picket duty, and all is very 
quiet here. General Tuttle's division left Vicksburg this morn- 
ing for Memphis. 

Monday, ptli — An order was read at dress parade today an- 
nouncing that ten men from each regiment would be detailed to 



152 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(November, 1863) 

go home to their respective states to solicit recruits for their regi- 
ments. Lieutenant Alfred Carey has been selected to represent 
Company E of the Eleventh Iowa. 

Tuesday, ioth — I was on a detail of two hundred men with 
one hundred teams to haul the commissary supplies and ammu- 
nition from the transports to the storehouses and magazines con- 
structed near the new forts. It is heavy work, and as to hand- 
ling the ammunition, quite dangerous. General Grant has given 
orders that Vicksburg must be well fortified and supplied with 
munitions and provisions, and that it must be held against all 
possible attack, for it cost too much to obtain it, besides its being 
a point of the greatest strategic importance. 

Wednesday, nth — It is very pleasant after four or five days 
of quite warm weather. I was on picket again, the first time 
for a week. Two brigades of General Crocker's Division arrived 
from Natchez to reinforce the troops here at Vicksburg. Two 
negroes entering an old vacant Confederate magazine today 
were blown to pieces. They were smoking and it is supposed 
that the loose powder on the floor in some way became ignited. 
The explosion was heard for miles around. So much again for 
the filthy habit of smoking. 

Thursday, 12th — The two brigades of General Crocker's Di- 
vision were at his request ordered back to Natchez today, be- 
cause of a threatened attack of the rebels at that place. 

Friday, 13th — My same old duty again — picket. There was 
no fatigue detail today, as the fortifications are almost completed. 
Two or three forts, however, are yet to be built just outside of 
the rifle pits. 

Saturday, 14th — The weather is quite warm, but windy and 
smoky. Wild grapes are still growing. There is no change; all 
is quiet and no news. We still maintain our regular picket of 
two thousand men. 

Sunday, 15th — We had the regular Sunday inspections, com- 
pany at 10 o'clock and regimental at 4. It is pretty strict disci- 
pline to call us out on the Lord's Day for two inspections, when 
our daily duty is so laborious. 

Monday, 16th — On picket today. The weather is warm and 
pleasant, though the cool nights give warning of approaching 



FEVER AND AGUE— FORTIFYING VICKSBURG 153 

(November. 1863) 

winter. With our high picket post and the beautiful landscape, 
finer than an artist could paint, picket duty in the daytime is a 
delight. 

Tuesday, ijth — The report in camp this morning was that 
General Sherman had been killed and his force captured on a rail- 
road train east from Memphis. Another report this afternoon 
says that the train was attacked by the rebel cavalry, but that 
the troops formed a skirmish line and routed the rebels, and that 
Sherman is safe ; but men were killed and wounded on both sides. 1 

Wednesday, 18th — The weather is still warm. Our fatigue 
duty is not so laborious now, but the picket duty is becoming more 
strenuous if anything on account of the activity of the rebels' 
cavalry. The Eleventh Iowa signed the payrolls today. 

Thursday, 19th — All is quiet and there is nothing of impor- 
tance. The report in camp is that the Sixth Division will remain 
at Vicksburg all winter ; we are thankful if that is the case, as 
we are comfortably fixed for winter. 

Friday, 20th — It is rainy and blustery today, but otherwise 
all is quiet. We received two months' pay, being paid in crisp 
new greenbacks. The paymaster always has a guard with him 
to guard the strong iron box containing the bills. 

Saturday, 21st — The weather is quite cool today. The Fif- 
teenth Iowa got their pay today. Pay time for the soldiers is 
the time for the gamblers. 2 It is then that they start up their 
"chuck luck" games. These banks or games are set up south of 
town, about the springs where the boys from our brigade go for 
their water. 

Sunday, 22d — This morning when our detail was relieved 
from picket, we were marched to brigade headquarters and put 
to target shooting. This is to be done regularly from now on, 
in order to give the boys practice. To encourage good marks- 
manship a reward is given ; those who hit the bull's-eye are ex- 
cused from picket duty, once for every time they hit the mark. 

Monday, 23d — It was warm and pleasant again with rain in 
the afternoon. The "chuck luck" banks at the spring are in full 
operation this morning. At each bank there are from twelve to 
twenty of our boys down on their knees laying their money on 

1 See Sherman's Memoirs, Vol. I., pp. 371-72. 

: That is, gambling among the soldiers themselves. — Ed. 



164 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(November, 186H) 

certain figures, as the "banker" throws the dice. After each 
throw the operator picks up the largest number of dollars. Some 
of the men in less than five days lose every dollar received from 
the paymaster. 

Tuesday, 24th — The weather is clear and cool, and the regi- 
ment is in good health. No news of importance. 

Wednesday, 25th — Out on picket. The guard continues strong 
and the officers are very strict. 

Thursday, 26th — I returned from picket and all is quiet. I 
loaned $5.00 to Corporal Daniel E. Sweet, until next payday. All 
of the furloughed men are back now. 

Friday, 27th — A detail of men, two of them from Company 
E, was sent as a guard to go up North with some deserters from 
our army. Upon being caught, the deserters were brought back, 
court martialed, and will now be confined in one of the United 
States military prisons. 

Saturday, 28th — A detail of forty men from our regiment was 
sent into town on provost guard. Our orders were to arrest all 
citizens and soldiers found upon the streets without passes from 
the commander of the post here or from the provost marshal, and 
take them before the latter for investigation and punishment. 

Sunday, 29th — We learned that there had been several spies 
in the city getting plans of our fortifications ; they also got med- 
ical supplies and other articles of value to the rebels, and smug- 
gled them through our lines at night. Special precaution is taken 
and the guard is to be continued. We were relieved this morn- 
ing by a detail from the Thirteenth Iowa. 

Monday, 30th — The weather continues with pleasant days and 
very cool nights. I loaned $5.00 to Thomas R. McConnoll. No 
news of importance. 

DECEMBER, 1863. 

Tuesday, 1st — All is quiet. We had dress parade this after- 
noon at 5 o'clock. I wrote a letter home today. 

Wednesday, 2d — We now have a good market house estab- 
lished here which has cut the cost of provisions; formerly the 
army sutlers had a corner on everything. I bought a barrel of 
potatoes for $4.00, which, without the market house, would have 



FEVER AND AGUE— FORTIFYING V1CKSBURG 155 

(December, 1863) 

taken $12.00 out of my month's pay. The provisions come from 
the North and are sold by retailers occupying stalls in the mar- 
ket house. They are usually at it as early as 3 o'clock in the 
morning. 

Two brigades came up from Natchez this morning and went 
out to Black river bridge to reinforce the post there. A report 
reached camp to the effect that General Grant has raised the siege 
of Chattanooga and put Bragg's army to rout, gaining a glorious 
victory. We threw up our hats and cheered for Grant. Sher- 
man routed Longstreet from the siege of Knoxville, Tennessee. 
Everything seems to be coming our way again. 



156 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(December, 1883) 



Chapter XIV. 
Re-enlisting as Veterans. December 3-January 27, 1864. 

Thursday, 3d— I went out on picket this morning. An order 
was read on parade this evening, announcing that all soldiers who 
will re-enlist for three years or during the war will be enrolled in 
the Veterans' Corps, and receive a bounty of $400.00 and a thirty- 
day furlough. Some of the boys signed their names at once. 1 

Friday, 4th — The rebels seldom show themselves near our 
front. The loss of Chattanooga and Knoxville is a staggering 
blow to them. News came today that General Grant had an- 
other engagement with Bragg, near Dalton, Georgia, and again 
whipped him. 

Saturday, jth — The re-enlisting of the men for three years is 
proceeding rapidly. Most of the boys are in favor of seeing the 
war brought to a close before they quit the job, while others say 
that they have seen enough of war, declaring that they have done 
their duty. 

Sunday, 6th — I went on patrol guard in the city today, and 
shall be on guard off and on all night, looking for spies. I at- 
tended the evening services of the Baptist church while off duty 
after a two-hour shift. The weather is nice and warm, as it has 
been for many days. 

Monday, Jth — I was relieved from patrol this morning. Thus 
far we have not succeeded in locating any of the reported spies. 
This patrol duty is quite hard, since when we have a few mo- 
ments for rest the only place is a vacant room over a store, with- 
out fire ; furthermore, lying down on the floor is not very invit- 
ing because of the graybacks running over the floor. 

Tuesday, 8th — Everything is marching along fine. The fin- 
ishing touches are being put upon the outside forts and the heavy 
guns are mounted and ready for action. The floors of the forts 
and rifle pits are all laid with the lumber torn from the houses 
which were removed to make room for the forts, so when it rains 

1 I was not yet in from picket and so knew nothing; of what was 
going on. — A. (I. I). 



RE-ENLISTING— VETERAN REGIMENTS 157 

(December, 1863) 

while the men are occupying the forts, they will not need to 
tramp through the mud. News came that General Bragg was re- 
treating with Grant after him. General Grant is the man for us 
yet. All are loud in their praise of Grant, and declare that he 
is the coming man of the time, that we will have him at the head 
of all of the United States armies before the war is ended. 

Wednesday, pth — Another twenty-four hours duty on picket, 
which with the time occupied in going out and returning makes 
about twenty-six hours each time. 

Thursday, ioth—lt is pretty cold weather now, somewhat 
cloudy and windy. Our regiment furnished the patrol for the 
city today, composed of a captain, a lieutenant, two sergeants, 
eight corporals and forty privates. 

Friday, nth — The Eleventh had regimental inspection with 
accouterments and full dress. The boys are continuing to re-en- 
list for three years or during the war. Officers from the corps 
headquarters are out among the different regiments urging re- 
enlistments. They argue that the war will be over anyway by 
the time the first three-year service shall have expired, and they 
might as well avail themselves of the extra bounty. Then, too, 
they say, "What a fine thing it would be to be called a veteran 
of the war!" 

Saturday, 12th — It came the Eleventh Iowa's turn to go on 
reserve picket, down in the river bottom. It is a fine place for 
a reserve post, plenty of wood to burn these rather cold nights. 

Sunday, 13th — We were relieved from picket and arrived in 
camp about noon. For a wonder we did not have inspection of 
any kind on this, the Lord's Day. It rained some this morning, 
but turned off quite clear in the afternoon. 

Monday, 14th — A pleasant day and all is quiet. This is wash- 
day in camp. But since there are so many negro women here, 
thankful for the job, and who do it so cheaply, most of the bovs 
hire their clothes washed. I got my week's washing done for 
twenty-five cents. In the early morning we see dozens of negro 
women going to the springs, each with a tub of soiled clothes on 
her head and a pail in each hand, singing "the day ob jubilee 
hab come." In the evening the}- return with the clean clothes 
in the same fashion, many of them singing some quaint negro 
melody. 



158 DOWNINGS CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(December, I86S) 

Tuesday, 15th — Quite cool this morning, with a high wind all 
day. Quite a number of the Eleventh Iowa have re-enlisted, 
though only eighteen of our company. 

Wednesday, 16th — It rained nearly all day, commencing about 
i o'clock in the night. I being on picket had a hard night of it, 
for the water at our post in the bottom stood about a foot deep. 
It was a fearful night to be out on picket; one could not even 
find protection standing, let alone lying down. 

Thursday, i/th — It cleared off and has turned quite cold, con- 
sequently the boys not on duty keep pretty close to the fires in 
their tents. There are no "chuck luck" banks in operation now 
— it is too cold, and then the boys' money is all gone. 

Friday, 18th — No news. Our camps are good and there will 
be no suffering since we have plenty of wood for fuel. The boys 
feel quite lively staying in camp so long at one time, but I think 
a march would do us all some good. 

Saturday, igth — All is quiet around Vicksburg, and the weath- 
er is quite mild and pleasant, though quite cold at night. Our 
camp was cleaned up for inspection. I was out on picket again, 
though on higher ground than the previous time out. 

Sunday, 20th — Quite pleasant weather. We had our regular 
company inspection at 9 o'clock today with dress parade at 5 
o'clock. 

Monday, 21st — The Eleventh Iowa furnished the provost 
guard for the city, though I had to go with a picket squad. 

Tuesday, 22d — Relieved from picket this morning. It was 
quite cold last night. I was on an outpost and our detail con- 
sisted of a sergeant, a corporal and twelve privates. We took 
turns standing on vedette, one hour at a time. 

Wednesday, 23d — The weather continues quite pleasant. There 
is no news. All is quiet here. There has been no foraging for 
two months now, for the reason that there is nothing left to for- 
age. I often wonder what the farmers in this section live on ; 
whatever they have certainly cannot be in abundance. The citi- 
zens of Vicksburg are a little more fortunate ; that is, if they have 
the greenbacks, for since July 4th, last. Confederate scrip is no 
longer legal tender. Some people still have a little gold and sil- 
ver, which comes from its hiding place when their larders run 
low. 



RE-ENLISTING — VETERAN REGIMENTS 15» 

(December. 186."?) 

Thursday, 24th — I went on picket again this morning. Late 
in the evening the Eleventh and the Fifteenth Regiments were 
ordered out to a little town called Redstone, as it was reported 
that a strong force of the rebels was there. At 10 o'clock at 
night a detail of sixty men from the Thirteenth and Sixteenth 
Regiments was sent out to reinforce our pickets, as it was feared 
the rebels' cavalry would make an attack upon Vicksburg in the 
early morning. 

Friday, 25th — It was a false alarm. The rebel attack did not 
materialize and we came in from picket at the usual time. The 
extra force from the other two regiments returned late in the 
aftrnoon. The camp is a lonely place with so many out at Red- 
stone, and it is Christmas Day, too. I went to the regimental 
hospital and purchased from the steward a nice mince pie for 
my Christmas dinner, costing me fifty cents. 

Saturday. 26th — The Eleventh and the Fifteenth Iowa re- 
turned from Redstone, and they report that there was no sign of 
the rebels out there. The rebels being out there was all a hum- 
bug. The regiments were sent out there so that the officers in 
town could have a spree on Christmas. 1 

Sunday, 27th — I was again on provost patrol in the city, and 
with two others was assigned to the mule corral, the meanest 
place one could possibly be stationed at ; for all we had to do 
was to see that the four mules penned up there did not kick down 
the fence. 

Monday, 28th — The commanding officers of our post here are 
"conscripting" every able-bodied citizen for military duty. The 
order applies to blacks as well as to whites, and aims to provide 
artisans for labor in connection with the army and army posts. 

Tuesday, 29th — I was on camp guard today. The weather is 
quite pleasant. News came that General Schofield is to be re- 
moved from the Department of the Missouri and that Rosecrans 
is to be placed in command. People are rejoicing over the change. 
Schofield is in command of a corps with Grant. 

Wednesday, 30th — The veterans of the Eleventh Iowa were 
sworn into the United States service today. There were ten from 
Company E, as follows : Nathan Chase, George Cush, Leroy 

'Many thought at the time that it was a put-up Job to give th« boys 
a march — and I still believe it. — A. G. D. 



1#0 DOWNINGS CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(December, 1863) 

Douglas, Frank Johnson, James Martin, James Newcom, Henry 
Newans, James Rankin, Burtis Rumsey, and Orlando Stout. 

Thursday, 31st — The weather has been generally mild this 
month, though changeable, but today it capped the climax. There 
was a strong gale from the northwest, accompanied by rain and 
snow. This is regular muster day. The Eleventh Iowa was 
mustered at 10 o'clock, and we all had to fall in line by com- 
panies, and march to the colonel's tent, where we answered to 
our names as they were called. This is a poor day for "Vet- 
erans ;" the re-enlisting is not progressing very fast. 

JANUARY, 1864. 

Friday, 1st — This is a cold New Year's Day, but things are 
quite lively in camp, the boys being in fine spirits. I got a pass 
to go down town this afternoon and found the stores all closed 
for the day. This is the beginning of the year 1864, and this 
cruel war still continues to rage in the land. I pray to God that 
it may come to a close before this year does ; but, if not, may all 
things be done to the glory and praise of God, for He is a God of 
battles. May this war come to a close and our nation be at peace 
once more, and may slavery be wiped out so that there shall be 
no more slaves in America. 

Saturday, 2d — I was detailed for picket again this morning, 
and the post I drew stationed me on the bottom land. It began 
to rain late in the afternoon and continued into the night and 
I was soon standing in water. I tell you, it is poor comfort on 
picket. The commanding officer banished three women from our 
lines today. The case against them grew out of a meeting on last 
Thanksgiving Day. They attended the meeting held in the Pres- 
byterian church and when the minister prayed for the President 
of the United States, for the success of our arms, and for the 
Stars and Stripes, saying, "May they continue to float over the 
land of the free and the home of the brave," the three women 
got up and indignantly walked out. They were banished for 
disloyal conduct. 

Sunday, ?</ — It cleared off this morning and it got quite cool. 
I was at my post this morning, standing in water a foot deep. 
When our relief came they had to go back almost to town before 



RE-ENLISTING— VETERAN REGIMENTS 161 

(January, 1864) 

they could cross the swollen creek to reach our post. The " Vet- 
eran" excitement was raging when we got back to camp. This 
afternoon we had a meeting of our regiment, when Major Foster 
made a speech on the subject of re-enlisting, and I re-enlisted. A 
large number in our brigade and throughout the Seventeenth 
Army Corps have re-enlisted. Abraham Brown of our company 
died yesterday, here in the Vicksburg hospital. He was a good 
man. 

Monday, 4th— An order was issued by the War Department 
cancelling the previous order giving the large bounties to sol- 
diers for re-enlisting, but it is not to go into effect until midnight 
of the 5th inst. Re-enlisting is going on at a lively rate. Com- 
pany E today secured the necessary number entitling it to be a 
veteran company— the first one in the regiment, Company K 
being the second. General McPherson delivered a speech before 
the Iowa Brigade, expressing his desire that the entire Seven- 
teenth Army Corps might become a corps of veterans, and I think 
there is no doubt but that it will. 

Tuesday, $tkr- The Eleventh Iowa went in today as a veteran 
regiment, for three years more if needed. Our brigade will also 
go in as a veteran brigade. It is quite stormy, with a wind from 
the northwest. I went on picket again, down on the river bottom, 
two miles below. 

Wednesday, 6th— The time for re-enlisting with the bounty 
expired last night at midnight. The boys who re-enlisted are 
now looking forward to going home on a thirty-day furlough 
in the spring. 

Thursday. 7th— Pleasant weather again after several days of 
cold. Our brigade now provides the provost guard for the city, 
which takes each regiment down town every fourth day. The 
work is thus becoming heavier for our brigade. All is quiet in 
camp. 

Friday, 8th— \ was on fatigue duty, hauling wood for the 
picket post out in an open field. General Hunter reviewed our 
brigade today and inspected Company E. It is reported that he 
is to take command of the Seventeenth Army Corps. AH of us 
hope that it is a false report, for we do not wish to lose General 
McPherson. 



162 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(January, 1864) 

Saturday, yth — I was on picket guard down town and all is 
quiet. The ice floe is running quite strong in the Mississippi and 
has been for some days, which is rather a new thing to the people 
of Vicksburg. They say the like has never been known, at least 
in such large quantities, and that this is the coldest winter they 
have had for fifty years, although there is no snow as yet. 

Sunday, ioth — We had company inspection this morning. A 
brigade from here was sent up the river on transports to Green- 
ville, to rout the rebels who have set up a battery there, block- 
ading the river and stopping navigation. 

Monday, nth — The weather has been very warm for several 
days and there was a heavy thunderstorm last night. All is quiet 
in camp, but the men in the old regiments, having re-enlisted, are 
becoming restless and want to move, for remaining in camp will 
never bring the war to a close. 

Tuesday, 12th — It is cloudy but warm, and the ice is still 
coming down the river. Our duties here in camp are lightening 
up some. All is quiet and there is nothing of importance. 

Wednesday, 13th — I was on patrol down town. Things are 
quiet there, but the streets are quite muddy. The patrols have 
strict orders to arrest all soldiers found down town without passes, 
as well as citizens who are caught on the streets without passes. 
It is not a very pleasant duty, this thing of stopping everyone on 
the street and requiring him to give an account of himself. 1 

Thursday, 14th — There is a rumor that our army has taken 
Charleston, South Carolina. Some of our guard early this morn- 
ing stole a big fish from a fisherman who was taking a load to 
market. It weighed forty pounds and was divided among the 
boys. 1 took a piece to my tent and cooked it, but I might as 
well have eaten a piece of crow, for it was tasteless and tough. 
Jt proved to be a channel cat. 

Friday, 15th — Camp and picket duty are becoming very light 
as compared to one month ago. Some of the regiments sent to 
Minnesota and western Iowa to drive back the Indians, are re- 
turning to camp. It is reported that the Sixteenth Army Corps 
will soon return from Chattanooga. We hear also that General 
Sherman will command an expedition from Vicksburg across the 
state to Meridian, Mississippi. 

'Mr. Downing explained that spies in Vicksburg' had gotten some 
Union uniforms, and that special precautions were again taken. — Ed. 



RE-ENLISTING— VETERAN REGIMENTS 163 

(January, 1864) 

Saturday, i6th~ The weather has been warm and pleasant for 
a week. We have our regular daily drills and dress parade It 
came my turn to go on the picket line again. The Thirteenth 
Iowa received their muster rolls, and when they are filled out 
the regiment will be sworn into the United States service as a 
veteran regiment. 

Sunday, //fA— We had an all day rain. Company inspection 
early this morning. The Eleventh Iowa received their muster 
rolls and the boys are anxious to be sworn into the service and 
start for home on their thirty-day furloughs. 

Monday, 18th- -It cleared off and turned quite cool. Noth- 
ing-nothing new ; still lying in camp. The men are becoming 
restless and anxious to move on to another place, and to accom- 
plish something. 

Tuesday, i 9 th~ The weather is quite pleasant. No news On 
picket again and all is quiet. We see nothing of the rebels about 

here. 

Wednesday, 2oth-The Thirteenth Iowa was today sworn into 
the service for three years as a veteran regiment. 

Thursday, 21st— All things quiet in camp and no news. The 
weather is pleasant, though a little frosty everv night The army 
could stand a long siege, for we have plenty of wood and the 
quartermaster has in storage a large supply of provisions. This 
is fine soldiering. 

Friday, 23d— The weather is quite warm and it looks almost 
J ike spring— grape vines are beginning to start. 

Saturday, ^rf-Warm weather. Still King in camp and all 
is quiet — no news. 

Sunday, 24th— After company inspection this morning I went 
to church down in the city; went again in the evening. Thev 
have regular church services and Sunday school every Sunday ' 

Monday, 2 5 th~The Eleventh Iowa Regiment was today sworn 
into the United States service for three years or during the war 
and now we are a veteran regiment. Our company had an elec- 
tion of officers, but it did not amount to anything,' as it was ve- 
toed by the colonel, and men of his own choice were put into the 
offices. The role of officers as elected is as follows: 1 

they^re-enllsVcL-A^G p £ om, » ed the ri *ht to elect their own officers if 



164 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(January, 1864) 

Captain S. S. McLoney 

First Lieutenant William Spencer 

Second Lieutenant Joseph Tomlinson 

First Sergeant Lewis Elseffer 

Second Sergeant David Huff 

Third Sergeant Hiram Frank 

Fourth Sergeant John A. White 

Fifth Sergeant Alexander G. Downing 

Tuesday, 26th — I went on picket today. The weather is quite 
warm. Vicksburg, on the east bank of the Mississippi, is built 
on very high ground. It is quite rough and rolling here. There 
are some nice buildings here — a very fine court house, six good 
church buildings and a number of very nice dwellings, besides 
some large warehouses and stores. During the siege the houses 
were all more or less damaged, there being scarcely a single build- 
ing that was not in some way injured. There are very few of 
the old citizens living here at present, as the military rule of the 
Union army is not good for their peace of mind. 

Wednesday, 2jth — We have battalion drill now every after- 
noon, and today our regiment was reviewed by General Chambers. 
A division of the Sixteenth Army Corps from Chattanooga 
landed here last night. 



THE EXPEDITION TO MERIDIAN, MISSISSIPPI 165 

•January, 1864) 



Chapter XV. 
The Expedition to Meridian, Mississippi. January 28-March 6. 

Thursday, z8th— Some of the troops that are going out on an 
expedition to Meridian, started on their way this morning It is 
rumored that the Seventeenth and Sixteenth Army Corps are to 
make a raid across the State of Mississippi for the purpose of 
destroying the railroad running from Vicksburg to Meridian, and 
that General Sherman is to be in command of the expedition. 

Friday, ^—Everything is working fine here at present. We 
can hear nothing about the army in the East. Some of the bri- 
gades have moved out to Black river bridge, since there is a bet- 
ter camping ground at that place ; they also have good water there 
and plenty of wood and provisions. But we are still lving in 
camp with plenty to live on and our duty is very light. 

Saturday, 3 oth-We cleaned up our camp for inspection. 
Troops are still landing here for the purpose of going out on 
the raid. 

Sunday, 31st— Regimental inspection today and the usual dress 
parade. All things are quiet in camp and no news. I attended 
church services in the afternoon. Since the arrival here of the 
large number of reinforcements, the rebels have all left this 
vicinity, retiring beyond the Black river. In all probability they 
are informed as to our contemplated expedition and are con- 
centrating t h e i r forces to dispute every mile of the tf) Mer . 

dian. 

FEBRUARY, 1864. 

Monday, rst— The weather is nice and warm todav, as it has 
been for several weeks. A part of General Turtle's Division ar- 
rived in camp from some point up the river. The Crocker Bri- 
gade (Third Brigade of the Fourth Division of the Seventeenth 
Corps) received orders to prepare to go with the expedition, tak- 
ing twenty days' rations of hard-tack, salt, coffee and sugar. We 
are to start in the morning at daylight. Meridian is one hundred 
and sixty miles east of Vicksburg. 



166 BOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(February, 1864) 

Tuesday, 2d — Our pickets were relieved last night about 10 
o'clock preparatory to going on the expedition, but we did not 
get off this morning because the quartermaster failed to get the 
rations loaded yesterday, so we have to remain in camp for an- 
other day. I went on camp guard this morning. Our orders 
are to leave all equipage in camp, taking only our blankets and 
one hundred rounds of ammunition. The convalescents are to 
remain here to guard the camp. 

Wednesday, jd — We started this morning at 8 o'clock and 
marched to the Black river, where we bivouacked for the night. 
Our brigade was train guard for the provision train. Our en- 
tire expedition is supposed to have about twenty-five thousand 
men, composed of infantry, artillery and cavalry, with one engi- 
neers' corps in charge of a pontoon bridge. The weather is fine 
for marching. General Crocker's Division has started ahead. 

Thursday, 4th — We started to move at 8 o'clock and by night 
reached Bolton Station, where we went into camp. Our brigade 
being in the rear did not get into camp until up. m. There was 
some skirmishing by Crocker's Division, which lost three men 
killed and several wounded. Two men were killed by a ball from 
the rebels' battery striking the top rail of a rail fence, which 
broke and struck the two men, knocking off their heads and spill- 
ing their brains about. It was a gruesome sight. Their bodies 
were buried where they fell. 

Friday, f>th — We left our bivouac this morning at 8 o'clock 
and moved forward about fifteen miles. General Liggett's Di- 
vision was assigned the advance today, while our brigade was 
taken from the supply train and placed immediately in Liggett's 
rear. General Hurlbut's Division is on a road just off to our left. 
There was some skirmishing, though with little loss to either side. 
We drove the rebels out of Clinton this morning and at dark 
routed them from Jackson, capturing one piece of artillery and 
some prisoners. We did not get into bivouac until 10 o'clock. 

Saturday, 6th — Our army did not move until in the afternoon, 
because of having to lay the pontoons across the Pearl river. The 
rebels had burned the bridges, twenty-eight in all, after crossing. 
I was detailed this morning as special guard at the Seventeenth 
Corps headquarters while out on this expedition. Things are 
quiet in the rear. 



THE EXPEDITION TO MERIDIAN, MISSISSIPPI 167 

(February, 1864) 

Sunday, ;tk—We started early this morning and after reach- 
ing Brandon, about thirteen miles east of Jackson, went into 
bivouac about a mile from the town. There was no skirmishing 
in the front today, the rebels rapidly falling back. Our men set 
fire to the town this evening and burned almost the whole town. 
Most of the citizens had fled from the place before our forces 
entered. We captured a great quantity of tobacco here. 

Monday, 8th— We left bivouac at 8 o'clock and covered seven- 
teen miles today. There was some skirmishing in front. The 
roads were good and but few bridges to cross. All is quiet in 
the rear. This section of the country is heavily timbered, mostly 
pine, and the soil is quite sandy. It is thinly settled through here. 
Tuesday, pth — Starting early this morning we reached Mor- 
ton about noon, where we went into bivouac and remained the 
balance of the day. The rebels took their first stand here, form- 
ing a line of battle, but our two corps being brought together to 
engage them, they feared to risk a battle and hastily fell back. 
The Sixteenth Army Corps then passed ahead of the Seventeenth, 
taking the advance in pursuit. It is estimated that the rebels 
have a force of fifteen thousand men. Our army is burning all 
railroad and public property on the way. This town even is lit- 
erally wiped out, for when the citizens flee before our army and 
leave their homes vacant, there is always someone ready to set 
the vacant houses on fire. 

Wednesday, wth—We left Morton early this morning, and 
covering fifteen miles, reached the town of Hillsborough at about 
3 o'clock. There was some skirmishing in front with a loss of 
three to the rebels. By the time the rear reached town it was 
all on fire, the citizens having fled. Our army moves rather slow- 
ly, on account of the bridges being burned, and the engineers 
must rebuild or throw out the pontoons. But things are march- 
ing along fine. 

Thursday, uth—We moved but ten miles today, when we 
went into bivouac. Our men are foraging on the way, especially 
for meat, of which there is a plenty of fresh pork. Some of the 
foraging parties sent out today were captured and roughly used 
by the rebels. General McPherson had his headquarters in a 
large mansion on a rich plantation today. There had been hun- 



168 DOWNINGS CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(February. 1SS4) 

dreds of slaves on this plantation, but all the able-bodied negro 
men were taken along by the rebels for their army. 

Friday. 12th — We reached Decatur at 10 o'clock this morn- 
ing and went into camp. The rebels attacked the provision train 
of the Sixteenth Corps and killed twenty of the mules before our 
men could rally and put them to rout. The town was burned be- 
fore we left it. Things are marching fine. 

Saturday, 13th — We left Decatur early this morning and 
marched fifteen miles before going into bivouac. The Sixteenth 
Corps corralled their train and leaving a brigade to guard it 
pushed forward after the rebels. Skirmishing in the front con- 
tinued and was brisk at times. The weather is pleasant and the 
roads are fine for marching. There is still plenty of forage along 
the way. This morning I saw a woman with her children forcibly 
moved out of her residence, all the household goods and the house 
set on fire. The deed was ordered by our officers, for they had 
been informed that her husband was out in the brush with his 
rifle, killing Union soldiers at every opportunity. The plantation 
home had the appearance of wealth. 

Sunday, 14th — We marched fifteen miles again today and went 
into camp for the night. The Seventeenth Corps also corralled 
their wagon train, leaving two brigades as a guard. There was 
some skirmishing in the front today, but we learn that the rebels 
have left Meridian without making any resistance, retiring to the 
south. Some of our men occupied the town late this evening. 
Things are marching along fine. 

Monday, 15th — After two hours' marching our army entered 
Meridian at about 10 o'clock this morning and went into camp. 
The rebels are still retreating, and detachments of our army are 
pursuing them. The infantry is sent out in all directions tear- 
ing up the railroads, burning the ties and twisting the rails. 
Large numbers of cars, some engines and the depot have been 
burned, as also the store buildings and many residences. It is a 
terrible sight to look upon. Forage is plentiful in this vicinity. 

Tuesday, 16th — After a rain yesterday, it is quite cool today. 
General Crocker's Division went on to the town of Enterprise, 
to destroy the railroad there, while the Sixteenth Corps went to 
the north destroying the railroad. General McPherson has his 



THE EXPEDITION TO MERIDIAN, MISSISSIPPI 169 

(February, 1864) 

headquarters in a fine residence in the west part of town and his 
headquarters' guards, twenty-eight of us, occupy the negro huts 
close by. We are at present short of rations and all I had for 
dinner was some tough fresh beef, which the more I fried, the 
tougher it got. 

Wednesday, i/th — The different troops are returning to camp 
here after destroying about one hundred and twenty-five miles 
of railroad, stations and all public property. All is quiet around 
here. 

Thursday, 18th — Our provision trains came in from the rear 
today and we are thankful for the hardtack which we have been 
without for three days. 

Friday, igth — The quartermaster is sending out large foraging 
parties today, while the army is preparing to start back toward 
Vicksburg tomorrow, after destroying everything within our lines. 
There are no more rebels to be found in this vicinity. 

Saturday, 20th — The weather is quite cool and has been for 
several days. We left Meridian early this morning for Vicks- 
burg, followed by large numbers of contrabands and refugees. 
Some of the negro women have their bedding tied up in quilts, 
carrying them on their heads, each with a bundle of clothing in 
one hand and in the other a corn pone and pieces of bacon tied 
up in a red handkerchief. 

Sunday, 21st — The weather is fine for marching. After a 
night's rest, we started early this morning and reaching Decatur, 
went into bivouac. The provision trains aim now to keep one 
day's march in advance of the army. 

Monday, 22d — We had a long hard day's march, with our 
brigade leading the corps. There were some wide swamps to 
cross and we had to build corduroy roads of rails and pine trees, 
over which to move the artillery. It was late before we went 
into bivouac. 

Tuesday, 23d — We left at 8 o'clock and by noon had reached 
Hillsborough, where we were ordered to go into bivouac for the 
night. We caught up with the supply trains here and getting a 
fresh supply of provisions we are to lie over to give them a start 
again. All is quiet on the return. 

Wednesday, 24th — The army left the Hillsborough bivouac 



170 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(February, 1864) 

over different roads. Our brigade went in advance of the Six- 
teenth Corps to assist the engineers in laying the pontoons across 
the Pearl river. This is a good section of the country for forage. 
We selected twelve men from our entire headquarters' guard of 
twenty-eight to go out on forage, and they brought in six hun- 
dred pounds of bacon, twenty-five live chickens, one hundred 
pounds of honey and other articles. Several of us are up to- 
night cooking the chickens, which with the other things will fill 
our haversacks. We shall live well now. We are camping on a 
large plantation. 

Thursday, 25th — The main army moved only eight miles to- 
day, when it went into camp for the remainder of the day and 
night. This is to give the Sixteenth Corps time to cross the river. 
Our brigade was the first to cross the river, and we went on as 
far as Canton, about fifteen miles north of Jackson. Here we 
went into camp and are waiting for the army to catch up. All is 
quiet. The weather is quite warm. Peach trees are in bloom and 
the wild grapes' are getting green. 

Friday, 26th — General McPherson with the main part of the 
army left camp at 8 o'clock in the morning and after an all day 
march arrived at Canton after dark. They crossed the Pearl 
river at 10 a. m. and then reloaded the pontoons and destroyed 
what remained of the bridge. Just before going into camp two 
men were shot dead by the accidental discharge of a gun which 
they were pulling out from the back end of the wagon. 

Saturday, 27th — We remained here in camp all day. A num- 
ber of foraging parties were sent out and some of them were cap- 
tured by the rebels, and so did not have the privilege of enjoying 
their booty with their comrades. Canton is a very nice little 
place, and our army did not destroy the town because so many 
of the citizens remained in their homes. 

Sunday, 28th — The supply trains started on ahead for Vicks- 
burg, taking with them about six thousand contrabands and refu- 
gees — men, women and children, both white and black, of all sorts 
and sizes. The rebels drove in our pickets today, but did not 
come any closer. The report is that it is Wheeler and his cavalry. 

Monday, 29th — The rebels drove in our pickets again last 
night and there was some skirmishing, but when we commenced 



THE EXPEDITION TO MERIDIAN, MISSISSIPPI 171 

(February, 1864) 

cannonading they fell back. General McPherson has his head- 
quarters here in a fine residence, and I am one of three men who 
have to walk the beat in front of his headquarters; we had the 
same duty the entire expedition, when his headquarters was in 
a residence or in his tent in bivouac. 

MARCH, 1864. 

Tuesday, ist—We left Canton at 8 o'clock this morning, our 
brigade taking up the rear. There was some skirmishing with 
the rebels' cavalry, which began early in the morning before we 
got started. Bullets commenced to fly and the guards formed 
a line to protect the headquarters' baggage. Finally, however, 
the rear guard opened a light battery on the rebels, who soon 
dropped back out of danger. The army, on account of an all day 
rain which made the roads very muddy, covered only eight miles, 
and went into bivouac, our rear not getting in, however, till 4 
o'clock in the morning. 

Wednesday, 2d — Orders were issued this morning for the 
army not to destroy any more property while on the march. We 
just learned that while we were in Canton, General Hurlbut levied 
a tax on the citizens, compelling them to furnish corn meal and 
other articles of food for the army. Today we marched fifteen 
miles, reaching Clinton Crossroads by night, where we went into 
bivouac. The rebels are still following us and there was some 
skirmishing in the rear, which at times made it necessary to bring 
the light artillery into action. 

Thursday, 3d — We got into motion early this morning and 
marched twenty miles. We bivouacked for the night within 
twenty-six miles of Vicksburg and not far from our forces at Big 
Black river bridge. The rebels ceased following us today. The 
weather and roads were fine for marching. 

Friday, 4th — The army left bivouac at daylight this morning 
and the vanguard reached Vicksburg at 2 o'clock, while our rear 
did not get in till dark. We found our camps, clothing and all 
in good shape. The Sixteenth Army Corps went into camp out 
east of Vicksburg. We were relieved from the duty of head- 
quarters' guard this morning. The expedition was out thirty- 
two days, and marched three hundred and twenty-five miles; it 



172 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(March, 1864) 

destroyed an immense amount of property, thus inflicting a tre- 
mendous blow to the Confederacy, and foraged on the country the 
whole way. 

Saturday, 5th — We are all glad to get back in camp again 
and to sleep in the bunks instead of lying on the ground in open 
bivouac. The boys spent the day in washing clothes and clean- 
ing guns and accouterments. 

Sunday, 6th — The weather is quite pleasant today, and has 
been for several days. We had company inspection early this 
morning, and in the afternoon we had preaching in camp, fol- 
lowed by dress parade at 5 o'clock. 



HOME ON VETERAN'S FURLOUGH 173 

(March, 1864) 



Chapter XVI. 
Home on Veteran's Furlough. March 7-April 22. 

Monday, yth — The Thirteenth Regiment started for Iowa to- 
day on their thirty-day furlough. Our regiment received three 
months' pay, and all who re-enlisted were given a part of their 
bounty money, $160.00 each. The bounty, with my regular pay, 
after settling for six months' clothing, $8.00, gave me $207.00. 

Tuesday, 8th — I was detailed with six men from the Eleventh 
under me, as special guard at the roundhouse. We were de- 
tailed about midnight to relieve the Ninety-fifth Illinois, which 
will accompany a part of the Sixteenth Army Corps down the 
river, and then on an expedition up the Red river. The Seven- 
teenth Army Corps is going home on veterans' furlough. 

Wednesday, Qth — It rained all day. We are still on guard at 
the roundhouse. Troops are on the move, both up and down 
the river as fast as the transports can carry them. New troops 
are to garrison Vicksburg from now on. We are glad to leave 
the place, for we have been in and around Vicksburg for more 
than fifteen months, and have seen some very hard service in 
that time. But there is something about Vicksburg, the Gibral- 
tar of the West, that is really fascinating. 

Thursday, 10th — It rained all day yesterday, and today it is 
quite cool. The expedition that is going up the Red river left 
this afternoon. Regiments are leaving every day for the North, 
going home on their veterans' furloughs. We are still on guard 
at the roundhouse. 

Friday, nth — The Iowa Brigade turned over their tents and 
camp equippage to the general quartermaster, preparatory to going 
up the river. General Grant is now at the head of all the armies 
of the United States, just where we have wanted him ever since 
the surrender of Vicksburg. 1 

J After Vicksburg, General Grant was sent to Chattanooga, Tennes- 
see, and succeeded in raising the siege there, and then at Knoxville, de- 
feating two Confederate armies all in the space of a few days. That 
covered Grant with glory in the estimation of us Western men, and we 
then declared that he was the man to send to Washington, D. C, and 
to take command of the Eastern as well as the Western army. — A. G. D. 



174 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(March, 1864) 

Saturday, 12th — All the men of the Iowa Brigade who did not 
re-enlist have been formed into a battalion until the veterans re- 
turn. Major Pomutz of the Fifteenth Iowa is in command. All 
the non-veterans of the old regiments are to remain at Cairo, Illi- 
nois, until the veterans return from their furloughs. 

Sunday, 13th — The Eleventh and the Fifteenth Iowa, togeth- 
er with the Twelfth Wisconsin, all veterans, went aboard the 
"Continental" this afternoon and about dark left for the North. 
I could not go with my regiment, as I have not yet been relieved 
from guard duty at the roundhouse. 

Monday, 14th — It is quite cool today, after three days of warm 
weather. We are still on guard at the roundhouse. The con- 
trabands are all being put to some kind of work, or enrolled in 
the army. As the Government has to feed them, they will par- 
tially pay their way by working. 

Tuesday, 15th — We were relieved from guard at the round- 
house, and I received my transportation papers from the provost 
marshal. I was promoted today from "high private in the rear 
rank" to sixth corporal in the front rank, my commission to date 
from March 1, 1864. 1 

Wednesday, 16th — This is a beautiful day. I left for home 
on my thirty-day furlough. I embarked with the Fifteenth Iowa 
and the Thirty-second Illinois, on board the "Olive Branch." We 
left for Cairo, Illinois, at 3 p. m. We say adieu to thee, Vicks- 
burg, the Gibraltar of the West ! We leave thee with some pleas- 
ant memories, notwithstanding the many hardships we had to en- 
dure while with thee ! Before we left Vicksburg the railroad sta- 
tion caught fire and was completely consumed with two thousand 
bushels of oats stored there. 

Thursday, 17th — Our boat has been running steadily since 
starting, it having stopped but once, and that was to take on 
wood for the boilers of the engine. The time has passed with- 
out incident. 

Friday, 18th — It is quite cool today with a rather sharp wind 
blowing, which with our crowded condition makes it very un- 
comfortable. The Thirty-second Illinois received their pay on 

a This was indeed a surprise to me, as I had never asked for any 
office. The expression in quotations was a war-time saying, a joke of 
the privates. — A. G. D. 



HOME ON VETERAN'S FURLOUGH 175 

(March, 1864) 

board today, and no doubt the gamblers will get their hands in 
before we land. 

Saturday, ipth — It is quite cool. We reached Memphis at 4 
o'clock this morning and remained all day, not starting on our 
trip till late this evening. The supply train of the Sixteenth 
Army Corps was unloaded here from our boat, and we took on 
the Thirty-fifth New York Infantry. 

Sunday, 20th — It is quite cool today. We ran all day, but 
we have a big load, crowding every nook and corner of the boat ; 
we are more crowded than before reaching Memphis. The ser- 
geant in charge of us six guards had our haversacks replenished 
at Memphis. 

Monday, 21st — We reached Cairo at 4 o'clock this morning 
and I went ashore with my comrades to the Soldiers' Home for 
breakfast. We then went to the provost marshal's office for our 
railroad transportation from Cairo to Davenport. We boarded 
the train at noon and arrived at Centralia at 5 o'clock. We had 
to lie here until after midnight when we took the Illinois Central 
for La Salle, Illinois. The train was so crowded that in order 
to get a comfortable place, we bought sleeping berths. The 
weather is cold here, and we saw snowbanks for the first time 
in two years. 

Tuesday, 22d — We reached La Salle at 2 o'clock this after- 
noon and changed cars for Davenport, arriving at our destina- 
tion at dark. I took lodging at the Davis House. The taverns 
are all crowded, because of so many soldiers coming home on 
their furloughs. 

Wednesday, 23d — I left all my accouterments and clothing at 
the hotel. Before starting for home, I purchased some clothing 
and other articles, all amounting to $46.50. Among other things, 
I bought a blouse and vest, a hat, shirts, boots, pen, and my first 
watch, for which I paid $17.00. I started for home at 10 o'clock, 
and as it is seeding time and the roads are muddy, there were no 
teams in town from my neighborhood, so I had to walk the entire 
distance, all alone. I reached home at 8 o'clock and found all 
well, and getting along fine. 

Thursday, 24th — I went to Mr. Elseffer's and spent most of 
the day there, taking dinner with them. Lewis ElsefTer is a mem- 



176 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(March, 1864) 

ber of my company and was detailed as clerk in corps headquar- 
ters, thus could not return with us. 

Friday, 25th — I remained at home all day visiting and talking 
over some of my experiences. One change I find in myself, and 
that is the discomfort in sleeping in a warm room, as the custom 
in the homes is, for it is more than two and a half years since 
I have slept that way. 

Saturday, 26th — The friends of the boys in our company gave 
a dinner for us today at Mr. Ray's, and father took me over. It 
was a cold, cloudy day and the roads were muddy, but all the 
friends came out and gave the boys a warm greeting — and a fine 
dinner we had. We all enjoyed ourselves and are thankful to 
those who got up this dinner for the returned soldiers. It would 
be fine soldiering if one could have such dinners in the army. 
May this war soon come to a close that all may enjoy home, and 
help where we are needed. 

Sunday, 27th — I went with father to meeting today, in our 
old church at Inland, and attended the Communion of the Lord's 
Supper with the Disciples. They have no minister at present, 
but meet every Lord's Day to break bread. It rained nearly all 
day. 

Monday, 28th — I went to Tipton on horseback today, accom- 
panied by John D. Moore, who enlisted in Company E of the 
Eleventh Iowa Infantry. All of the Inland boys who went be- 
fore have re-enlisted as veterans, and four or five others besides 
John Moore are going to enlist in our company and go to the 
front when we return. I saw several of the boys of my com- 
pany today, who live at Tipton. 

Tuesday, 29th — I attended a supper this evening given for 
the veterans of my company, at the home of Mr. J. W. Stanton 
on York Prairie. On account of the bad weather, dark night 
and muddy roads, there were not many there, but we had a fine 
supper and a pleasant evening with friends. 

Wednesday, 30th — I remained at home all day. Times ap- 
pear to be very dull and lonesome. My brothers are having a 
siege of the measles. I am thankful that I have had them, for 
measles in the army causes more soldiers to be discharged for 
disability than anything else. I long to see this cruel war come 
to a close. 



HOME ON VETERAN'S FURLOUGH 177 

(March, 1864) 

Thursday, 31st — I went to a party this evening, given in honor 
of the veterans, over at Mr. Hatch's, on Yankee Street. 1 There 
were not many present, but all enjoyed themselves. I found a 
new road to travel, a mile from this place — if all goes well. Things 
are very quiet in this settlement, but almost every young man 
here is thinking of returning with us to help bring the war to a 
close. It does us good to see the loyal sentiment among the peo- 
ple at home. The general belief at home is that the war cannot 
last more than a year longer. 

APRIL, 1864. 

Friday, 1st — The same old thing over and over. I almost 
wish myself back in the army; everything seems to be so lone- 
some here. There is nothing going on that is new, and there is 
no work of any kind. 

Saturday, 2d — They had a very cold winter here in Iowa and 
the ground has been frozen so deep that it is slow in thawing out. 
Farmers, as yet, have sown but little wheat, but they have every- 
thing ready to push the seeding as soon as the ground will per- 
mit. It is quite pleasant today, but the roads are very muddy 
yet, and there is no news of any importance. 

Sunday, jrf — I went to our church again this morning, it being 
the day for preaching. In -the evening I went to see a young 
lady friend. 

Monday, 4th — It rained all last night and nearly all day. I 
attended a party this evening at Mr. Fossett's and we all had a 
fine time which passed off very rapidly. There were fourteen 
couples present. I remained over night with my old bunk-mate, 
James. I enjoyed my visit with him, talking over the times when 
we started into the service together. 

Tuesday, 3th — I took dinner at Mr. Curtis's today, and had 
a fine dinner. Two other soldier boys were there, Mr. Curtis's 
son, Homer and Thomas Fossett, both of the Twenty-fourth Iowa 
Infantry. The citizens in and around Inland are very loyal, and 
the vicinity is well represented in the Eleventh and Twenty- 
fourth Regiments. 

'Yankee Street was the name given to an adjoining neighborhood. 
—A. G. D. 



178 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(April, 1864) 

Wednesday, 6th — I went to Tipton to attend the celebration 
of the 6th of April, the day on which two years ago we fought 
the battle of Shiloh. I went with a team, taking a load of the 
young people of the community with me. The roads were aw- 
fully muddy and once we stuck in the mud. The citizens gave 
a dinner in honor of the veterans of Company E, and though I 
cannot brag on the dinner, there were a great many present. Al- 
though we had a muddy time of it, yet all seemed to enjoy them- 
selves. At a meeting in the court house in the afternoon, Major 
Foster of the Eleventh Iowa delivered a speech before a large 
audience. 

Thursday, ph — It rained all day, and I remained at home. 
As the boys are all down with the measles, I am helping father 
with the farm work between showers. 

Friday, 8th — Another wet day and I stayed at home all day. 
It is so lonesome that I almost wish I was back in the army ; al- 
though if I did not have to go back, I could enjoy myself a great 
deal better. May God hasten the day when this cruel war will 
be fought to a close, so that the soldiers may return to their homes 
and friends. What a cruel thing this war is ! Think of the thou- 
sands of our brave men suffering in the hospitals and in the 
camps, and many being killed on the battlefield. And yet, think 
of the everlasting Copperheads in the North, how they sympa- 
thize with the South ! Such men as they are not fit to be compared 
with the negroes of the South ! I would like to see such men as 
they are be made to go down there and fight for the South, and 
be compelled to live on mule beef at that ! 

Saturday, gth — It is cool and quite pleasant. I stayed at home 
all day and did some writing (brought my army diary up to date). 
The farmers are still lying by waiting for the weather and the 
ground to get fit for seeding. There is no news of any impor- 
tance from the army. 

Sunday, ioth — It is still raining; there appears to be nothing 
but rain, rain ! I went to meeting again this morning, and ac- 
companied Mr. Sparks home for dinner. Jason Sparks is going 
to enlist and return with us to the front. In the afternoon we 
all went to attend meeting at the Inland schoolhouse, but the 
preacher didn't come, and so I spent the balance of the day with 



HOME ON VETERAN'S FURLOUGH 179 

(April, 1864) 

the family of Mr. Willey, and remained there till late in the even- 
ing. 

Monday, nth — It was rainy all day, but I went to farming 
this morning for the first time for nearly three years. As the 
boys are all sick and as it is impossible for father to hire help 
even for a few days, I made up my mind that it was my duty to 
help father to get his seeding done. I started in drilling wheat, 
but after a while I had to stop on account of the rain. 

Tuesday, 12th — It rained almost the whole day; it does look 
as if it would never quit raining. I gave father $110.00 today, 
to keep for me until I return from the war. That makes $360.00 
altogether that I have placed in his hands to put out on interest 
till I return. There is nothing of any importance here. 

Wednesday, 13th — It is cloudy and very cool. I helped fath- 
er put in his wheat today, harrowing all forenoon and drilling in 
wheat in the afternoon. James Kelley, a soldier of the neigh- 
borhood, home on a furlough, came over to help me out for a 
few days. 

Thursday, 14th — Another cloudy, disagreeable day ! I drilled 
in wheat all day and Kelley did the harrowing. The boys with 
the measles are getting along fine and will be well in a few days 
if they don't take cold. 

Friday, 15th — It is cloudy and quite cool. I harrowed all 
day, and I think that it is the last day's work that I shall do on 
the farm for some time, unless this cruel war soon comes to a 
close. 

There are two families in this locality who are Copperheads 
and opposed to the war. They are members of the "Knights of 
the Golden Circle," but are very quiet at present. They do not, 
however, give dinners to the returned veterans. About eighteen 
months ago, they, with some others, north and west from here, 
were giving the loyal people of the county a great deal of trou- 
ble, going so far as to recruit a company of cavalry for the rebel 
army and drill them at the county seat. Finally, some of our 
brave soldiers, Tipton boys, home on furlough, made it so hot for 
the would-be rebel soldiers, that they disbanded, and have not 
been seen drilling since. 

Saturday, 16th — It is clear and quite cool today. My brother 
John and I went up to Tipton this morning. Things are pretty 



180 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(April, 1864) 

lively in town ; but there are not many of the veterans in today. 
I went to the harness shop and bought a saddle as a present to 
father. I called on Mrs. Willey, she and her husband having 
been good friends of mine. Mr. Willey was a member of the 
Twenty-fourth Iowa, but died in the spring of '63 at Milliken's 
Bend, above Vicksburg. On our way back home I stopped at 
the home of Mr. Robedie and took supper with the family. 

Sunday, ijth — It is cloudy and quite cool. There was some 
rain today, but toward evening it cleared off and became quite 
pleasant. I attended church at the Sparks schoolhouse, where 
the few members of the Christian church in this settlement have 
organized a church. They have prayer meeting and communion 
every Sunday at 10 o'clock, with preaching every fourth Sunday. 
May God help those who are trying to keep His holy laws, and 
may He help the churches all over the world, that they may do 
much good in bringing sinners to repentance and into the service 
of the Lord their Savior. After services I went home with John 
Moore, perhaps for the last time this spring. John and I spent 
the early evening at the home of Mr. William Listenwalter. 

Monday 18th — I stayed at home all day. Father finished sow- 
ing his wheat today. John D. Moore with Henry Clark left this 
morning for Davenport to go into Camp McClellan — Clark is 
a veteran of my company, while John is a recruit for the com- 
pany. Jason Sparks could not go with them on account of hav- 
ing the measles. Dr. Clark went to see him and certified that he 
was not fit for duty. 

Tuesday, igth — I attended a party last night at Mr. Ray's and 
did not get home till daylight this morning. William Green and 
Jeremiah Argo came home with me for breakfast and left for 
Camp McClellan. Green is one of the veterans of Company E 
and Argo is a recruit for the same. The weather is getting warm, 
the ground is in fine condition for putting in the crops and the 
farmers are all quite busy seeding. I sowed some barley today 
for the first time. This evening I went over to Mr. Sparks's to 
see Jason, who is getting along well with the measles, and in a 
few days will be able to leave for the army. 

Wednesday, 20th — I remained at Mr. Sparks's over night and 
coming home this morning stopped at the postoffice. I got a let- 
ter from Thomas R. McConnoll, my bunk-mate and one of the 



HOME ON VETERAN'S FURLOUGH 181 

(April, 1864) 

non-veterans whom I left at Vicksburg. The non-veterans are 
all at Cairo now awaiting our return. 

Thursday, 21st — This is a warm, pleasant day and I bade 
farewell to my home folks and friends and started back to the 
army, my thirty-day furlough being almost up. I went on horse- 
back, brother John going along as far as Allen's Grove, to Uncle 
John Moore's to remain over night, while John returned home, 
taking back the horse which I rode. Though the spring has been 
very late, the farmers here have all their small grain in and it is 
starting fine. The country around Allen's Grove is very nice 
farming land ; it is rolling, with plenty of timber and close to a 
good market ; it is becoming very thickly settled. Scott county, 
Iowa. 

Friday, 22d — I started with Uncle John this morning for 
Davenport, but one of his neighbors, Mr. Lathrop, soon overtook 
us and as he had to go to town anyway, I rode with him and 
Uncle John returned home. I reached Davenport by noon and 
went to the Davis House for my dinner, after which I called for 
my knapsack and accouterments and made a bee-line for Camp 
McClellan. Eight companies of the Eleventh Iowa have already 
reported and it is expected that we shall leave for the South in 
a few days. I went down town and got my new watch repaired — 
costing $2.00 — and purchased a few necessary articles, such as a 
diary, pocket dictionary, stationery, etc., costing in all $3.15. 



182 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(April, 1864) 



Chapter XVII. 

Mobilization at Cairo and Moving Forward to Join Sherman 

Before Atlanta. April 23-June 8. 

Saturday, 23d — Company E reported for duty this morning, 
and in addition ten recruits. Our regiment has more than one 
hundred recruits. We signed the pay rolls this forenoon, and 
were expecting to receive our pay, one month's, but as Company 
B has not yet arrived in camp, the paymaster withheld the pay. 
I swapped watches with Henry Clark, trading my cylinder 
escapement watch for his American lever watch, and gave $10.00 
to boot. The boys still keep straggling into camp, and all who 
have reported are in high spirits and glad to return after their 
thirty-day furlough. 

Sunday, 24th — It is raining again — there is nothing but rain 
and mud. Company B is now in camp and we received our pay 
today, including $50.00 of the new bounty. I got $63.00 in all. 
We received orders to be ready to move in the morning at 6 
o'clock, and go to Cairo, Illinois. It rained all day and so we 
had to stay in camp. We had preaching here this afternoon. I 
had a couple of likenesses taken yesterday and today I am send- 
ing them away. 

"Disappointment is the common lot of man." 

Monday, 25th — And still it is raining ! Reveille sounded at 
5 o'clock this morning and we strapped on our knapsacks and all 
accouterments, and at 7 o'clock marched to the station, where we 
boarded the cars and started for Cairo. 

We bade old Iowa farewell, perhaps never to return, for in 
the course of the coming events it is improbable that all will get 
back, but if the Lord is willing, I hope that we may be spared 
to return again. Crossing the Mississippi at 8 o'clock, we ar- 
rived at La Salle about noon and changed cars — exchanged fine 
coaches on the Rock Island for rather poor ones over the Illinois 
Central. Leaving La Salle at 3 o'clock we passed through Bloom- 
ington at dark, soon after which many of us took berths for the 
night. This morning just before leaving Davenport, I sent $50.00. 



MOVING FORWARD TO JOIN SHERMAN 183 

(April, 1864) 

my bounty money, to father by Solomon Lichtenwalter, who had 
come to Davenport to see us off. I then borrowed $5.00 of 
Thomas Armstrong-, to run me till next pay day. 

Tuesday, 26th — We stopped at Centralia this morning for 
breakfast, and arrived at Cairo about 5 o'clock in the evening. 
Our regiment received new tents, and marching up the Ohio, we 
went with our non-veteran comrades into camp just above Cairo. 
There are about twenty thousand troops in camp at this place, 
and a large expedition is being fitted out here, to start in a few 
days, but there is no certainty as to where it is going. 1 Most 
of the Seventeenth Army Corps is camped here awaiting orders. 
It is being reorganized and fitted out with Springfield rifles and 
cartridge boxes. 

Wednesday, 2/tJi — It rained all day and there is no end of 
mud in our camp, which is on very low ground. Cairo is im- 
proving very fast, a great many buildings having been erected 
since this war broke out. The veterans still keep coming in on 
every train ; the Eighth Iowa arrived today. About two thou- 
sand troops went aboard the transports for Huntsville, Alabama. 2 
We will be glad when we get orders to leave this mudhole. 

Thursday, 28th — It is cloudy and misty, and suffocating smoke 
is settling over our camp at times — and there is no end of mud. 
There is no news of any importance and we lay in camp all day, 
with no drill or dress parade. We are expecting orders to board 
the transports for Huntsville, Alabama. I went down town this 
afternoon to purchase a few articles. Things are awfully dear 
here. The soldiers are all supplying themselves with stationery 
and little articles needed on a long campaign. 

A Regiment : A body of men, either horse, foot or artillery, 
commanded by a colonel and consisting of a number of companies, 
usually from eight to twelve. 

A Reserve : A select body of troops in the rear of an army, 
reserved to sustain the other lines as occasion may require. 

— A. G. Downing. 

Friday, 29th — It is quite cool and cloudy, with some rain this 
afternoon. The Ohio river is rising fast. The veterans keep 

J The expedition was fitted out for the campaign against Atlanta, 
under the command of General Sherman. — A. G. D. 
2 Cllfton, Tennessee. — A. G. D. 



184 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(April, 1864) 

arriving daily at Cairo. The Seventeenth Army Corps is being 
reorganized as fast as possible and sent up the Tennessee river 
and landed at Clifton, and is then to march across to Huntsville, 
Alabama. Our mustering rolls are being made out and we are to 
be mustered in tomorrow. I received my discharge from the old 
service, dated December 31, 1863, and sent the certificate home 
for father to keep till I return. 

Saturday, 30th — The Eleventh Iowa was mustered today for 
pay. The regiment numbers about six hundred men present for 
duty, and but few are absent on account of sickness. 
General McPherson is having his entire corps (the Seven- 
teenth) armed with new Springfield rifles, and our regiment to- 
day turned over to the quartermaster the Enfield rifles and old 
accouterments to draw the new rifles and accouterments. Most 
of the men feel that the Enfield rifle is better suited to our use 
than the new one, for it has a bronze barrel, hence easier to keep 
clean, as the outside does not require extra polishing. 

I took a walk this afternoon over Cairo to view the town. 
There is a great deal of building going on, even if it is one of 
the biggest mudholes in the State of Illinois. The town may be 
said to be on stilts, for the buildings rest on posts, ten or twelve 
feet from the ground, and of course the sidewalks are the same. 
There are only two or three really nice buildings in the town. 
But it is a very important place for our armies, as it is the mobil- 
izing point for our army on the Mississippi and the Tennessee 
rivers. 

MAY, 1864. 

Sunday, 1st — The Eleventh Iowa signed the pay rolls this 
morning for two months' pay. Six of the boys were robbed of 
$30.00 last night. Our regiment drew the new rifles and accout- 
erments this afternoon. The Government is fitting out all of the 
veteran regiments with new equipments. 

We received orders this afternoon to go on board the trans- 
ports at 5 o'clock, and we struck our tents and turned them over 
to the post quartermaster. The Eleventh, the Fifteenth and part 
of the Thirteenth Iowa are on board the "John H. Dickey." We 
were ordered to carry five days' rations. Our destination is sup- 
posed to be Huntsville, Alabama. 



MOVING FORWARD TO JOIN SHERMAN 185 

(May, 1864) 

Monday, 2d — We left Cairo at 1 o'clock in the night and ar- 
rived at Paducah, Kentucky, at 10 o'clock today. We were sent 
here to reinforce the troops at this place, as it was reported that 
the rebels, thought to be Forrest's command, would make a raid 
into Paducah for the purpose of destroying our supplies. We 
went ashore while the transports with large details of men were 
sent back to Cairo for ammunition and provisions. I was de- 
tailed this morning for the first time as corporal of the guard. 
We have a force of about five thousand men at this place, with 
but one fort. 

Tuesday, 3d — We remained in bivouac all day. The trans- 
ports did not return today as expected. The recruits of the 
Eleventh Iowa were formed into a battalion and drilled twice a 
day, by Captain Kelly of Company D. We had our first dress 
parade this evening, since returning from furlough, and the regi- 
ment looked well in their new uniforms, but it was very awk- 
ward in the manual of arms because of the new recruits.' An 
order was read on dress parade making some promotions of non- 
commissioned officers in Companies A and H, since they went in 
as veterans. Paducah is a nice town and contained about seven 
thousand inhabitants just before the rebellion broke out. 

Wednesday, 4th — We lay here all day awaiting the boats. 
Nathan Chase, a veteran of our company, got into trouble with 
some men of the Fifty-third Indiana Regiment and one of them 
shot him twice, one ball going through his right arm and the 
other taking effect in his mouth, but neither wound is dangerous. 
The trouble was caused by drink. The health of the regiment is 
good, yet there are several sick, some with light attacks of the 
ague, and they are sent to the hospital here at Paducah. The 
transports arrived late this evening and we received orders to go 
aboard early in the morning. 

Thursday, 5th — Reveille sounded at 4 o'clock and by daylight 
we were on the boats. At 8 o'clock we started up the Tennessee 
river, our destination, we suppose, being Clifton, Tennessee. Our 
fleet consists of eleven transports and two gunboats, one of them 
in advance and the other taking the rear, so that if we should be 
attacked by light batteries from the bank, the gunboats would 
be ready for action and silence them. Then each transport has 
a squad of men with rifles in hand ready for action in case we 



186 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(May, 1864) 

should be fired upon by the guerrillas. The weather is pleasant 
and everything is working fine. 

Friday, 6th — Our boats tied up for the night, but early this 
morning, at 4 o'clock, we continued our journey. The river is 
deep and narrow here, which with the high bluffs, makes it a 
dangerous place for bushwhackers, but we were not molested on 
the trip. We reached Clifton at 3 o'clock in the afternoon and 
disembarked, marched out about two miles and went into bivouac. 

Saturday, Jth — Our new wedge tents were issued to us this 
morning by the quartermaster, and we worked all day pitching 
the tents and building bunks. 1 was on fatigue duty as corporal, 
in charge of a squad of men cleaning the grounds. We have a 
fine camp at this place with very good water. The health of the 
men is excellent and they are all in fine spirits. There was a 
flying report that the rebel general, Forrest, has been captured, 
but we don't know as to the truth of it. 

Sunday, 8th — All is quiet. We had dress parade this evening 
and an order was read to the effect that the troops should drill 
two hours a day in company or skirmish drill, and besides that, 
the recruits should drill four hours a day ; also that there are to 
be four roll calls a day, and company inspection every morning 
at 8 o'clock. There are about five thousand men in camp under 
command of Brig. Gen. F. M. Force, and all are in fine spirits and 
well fitted for a fight. The general quartermaster has large quanti- 
ties of rations and ammunition here, and there are some three or 
four thousand beef cattle for our meat supply. This camp puts us 
in mind of our camp at Pittsburg Landing, two years ago, but I do 
not think that we will have such a battle as we had then, although 
the rebels' cavalry is quite active. 

Monday, 9th — The weather is warm and pleasant and things 
are growing fine. The order of the day in camp is as follows : 
Reveille at 4 o'clock, roll call and breakfast call at 6, doctor's 
call at 6:30, guard mount and company inspection from 8 till 9, 
company drill 9 to 10, dinner call and roll call at 12 noon ; in 
the afternoon, company drill from 2 to 3 o'clock, dress parade 
and supper call at 6, tattoo and roll call at 8, taps at 8:30, when 
all lights must be out and every man not on duty must be in his 
bunk. This is the way the days pass with a soldier in camp, in 
time of war. 



MOVING FORWARD TO JOIN SHERMAN 187 

I May. 1864) 

Tuesday, ioth — We had an all day rain, and there was no 
drill or dress parade. The country around Clifton is very rough. 
There are but a few small farms, found only in the bottom land. 
Clifton is on the east bank of the Tennessee river about twenty- 
five miles below Savannah. The town has been bumed and the 
people driven out, there being- only four or five of the thirty log 
huts standing. 

Wednesday, nth — I was in a detail of a hundred men, with 
my corporal's squad, to go out on cattle guard. We had to herd 
about a thousand head of our beef cattle. At noon we were 
called in and our regiment, together with the Twentieth Illinois, 
was ordered to strap on our knapsacks, strike our tents and 
drive the cattle out about five miles farther on. We left our camp 
at 2 o'clock and at 3 reached Hardin's creek, in the direction of 
Huntsville, Alabama, where we found better range for the cattle, 
which was the object. There is more danger here of the rebel 
cavalry's making a raid and stampeding the herd, but it is thought 
our force is sufficiently large to guard the cattle. 

Thursday, 12th — It is very foggy this morning and our camp 
is low and unhealthy. We had inspection this morning and then 
company drill for an hour. John White and I then took a walk, 
and going outside of the pickets, we climbed some very high 
bluffs and found some of the nicest springs that I have ever seen. 
The country is very rough and heavily timbered with chestnut 
and scrub oak. There are a few little clearings with log huts. 
Our teams went back to Clifton this morning for rations. 

Friday, 13th — I went out as corporal of the picket this even- 
ing at 5 o'clock. There was in all a detail of one hundred and 
twelve sent out from the two regiments, besides the commissioned 
and non-commissioned officers. The guards are stationed from 
one to two miles from camp, where the cattle are corralled. 

Saturday, 14th — The weather is quite warm and pleasant. A 
large fleet of transports arrived at Clifton this morning, loaded 
with troops and supplies, the wagons and teams of the Seven- 
teenth Corps being on board. We also received a large mail. 

News came thai General Grant had defeated the rebels 
in a two days' battle before Richmond, though he lost about 
twenty thousand in killed and wounded. The news is almost too 



188 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(May, 1864) 

good to believe. All is quiet here in the West. We are still 
herding cattle, but think we shall soon be relieved. 

Sunday, 13th — We had regimental inspection this morning at 
10 o'clock. Two regiments came out from Clifton as reinforce- 
ments for ours. We turned over all our tents, except one for 
every five men, and this evening received orders to be ready to 
march in the morning at 5 o'clock for Waynesburg, Tennessee. 
Jason Sparks arrived this evening from Iowa to join our com- 
pany. He is well and happy. 

Monday, 16th — Reveille sounded at 3 o'clock and at 5 we 
started on our way to Waynesburg. We reached the place at 
noon and went into camp for the rest of the day. The troops 
kept coming in from Clifton all the afternoon. 1 Our corps, the 
Seventeenth, is all together again, and now in command of Gen- 
eral F. P. Blair. We have fine weather for marching, but the 
roads are very rough and stony, making it hard on our feet. The 
water is plentiful and very good, there being some healthful 
springs about here. 

Tuesday, i/th — We marched fifteen miles today. Our bri- 
gade had the cattle in charge and at 10 o'clock we had to stop 
and let them rest, the heat and rough stony roads being too much 
for them. The other brigades of our corps passed us, going on 
ahead. We started again at 4 o'clock, but did not catch up with 
our corps and go into bivouac until late at night. In the country 
we passed through, only now and then are there small clearings 
with log huts. The people are poor and schoolhouses are very 
scarce through here. 

Wednesday, 18th — The troops in advance of us started early 
this morning, but our brigade did not move until 1 1 o'clock. We 
had a hard day's march, having to cross a large swamp, wade 
four creeks, and cross one river twice ; yet we covered fourteen 
miles with the cattle, and got into bivouac near Clarenceville 2 at 
9 o'clock at night. Many of the men got sore feet, as a result 
of being in the water so much and then having to walk the rough, 
stony roads. The town of Clarenceville, they say, is almost de- 
serted, only a few of the meaner sort of people remaining. 

'They all left Clifton for Huntsville. Alabama. — A. G. D. 

2 This must have been Lawrenceburg", the county seat of Lawrence 
county, and on a direct line between Waynesburg and Pulaski. — Ed. 



MOVING FORWARD TO JOIN SHERMAN 189 

(May. 1864) 

Thursday, 19th — We started our drove of cattle early this 
morning and the brigade broke camp at 8 o'clock and followed. 
We reached Pulaski at 2 o'clock, a distance of sixteen miles, and 
went into camp. Our road, rough and rocky, followed a wind- 
ing creek which I think we had to wade twenty-four times dur- 
ing the day. I was corporal guard last night and having had no 
sleep, the hard day's march has almost worn me out. 

Good news came from the Eastern army, also from the Cum- 
berland army. The report is that General Grant has had a six 
days' fight at Richmond and that the rebels are whipped and on 
the retreat. 

Friday, 20th — We are having nice weather. We lay here at 
Pulaski all day in order to draw rations and to rest. We spent 
the day in washing clothes and cooking navy beans and fresh 
beef. The troops of our corps were ordered to pack all extra 
clothing in their knapsacks and turn them over to the quarter- 
master, who would then send them by rail to Huntsville, where 
they are to be stored. We are to go in light marching order from 
now on, having but a blanket apiece. There is but little sickness 
in the corps and the men are in fine spirits. All are anxious to 
get through to the main army. 

Saturday , 21st — Reveille sounded at 3 o'clock and at 5 we 
took up the line of march, our company being rear guard for the 
brigade. We marched seventeen miles and went into bivouac 
several miles beyond Elkhorn, which we reached at 1 o'clock. 
Here we waded the Elkhorn 1 river, which is from three to five 
feet deep and two hundred feet wide. The boys had a great deal 
of fun in wading across. The country is very rough and rocky, 
and the hard turnpike over which we marched most of the day 
made our feet very sore. 

Sunday, 22d — We started at 5:30 this morning and marched 
till 2 o'clock, when we again went into bivouac. Our brigade 
today was just in front of the rear. We passed through some 
very fine country with well-improved farms. Today we bade old 
Tennessee farewell and entered Alabama. 

What a cruel thing this war is! May God hasten the day 
when it will be brought to a close and our nation enjoy peace 
once more. Here in the army we have to march on Sunday as 

'Now called Elk river. The town which our diarist calls Elkhorn 
was probably what is now Aspen Hill. — Ed. 



190 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(May, 1864) 

other days. A soldier has to go through a great many hardships 
not thought of by others. 

Monday, 23d — It has been very warm but pleasant for several 
days. Reveille roused us this morning at 3 o'clock and at 4 our 
brigade started, taking the advance. Our last night's bivouac is 
just twelve miles northwest of Huntsville and we had a fine road 
to travel on coming into town. There is some very fine country 
with splendid farms around Huntsville. We entered the town at 
10 o'clock and went into camp, lying here the rest of the day. Here 
we got our knapsacks and a large mail. I received a letter and 

likeness from Miss G . All of the non-veterans joined 

their regiments this afternoon. Our quartermaster received a 
consignment of clothing for the regiment. 

Tuesday, 24th — We remained here at Huntsville all day rest- 
ing. 1 went to the camp of the Fifty-ninth Indiana and found 
my cousin, Hamilton Shepherd, and the sons of some of our old 
friends from my old home at Bloomfield, Indiana. The order is 
that we are to start for Chattanooga 1 in the morning, and we again 
had to turn over our tents and baggage to the quartermaster, who 
will put them in storage. 

Huntsville is a nice little town among the hills, and as in the 
case of most all of the villages here in the South, its citizens fled 
on the approach of the "mudsills," as they call us. There is a 
large spring here with a strong, steady flow of water, coming off 
a rocky cliff one hundred feet high, which supplies the town with 
water. The water runs into a large pool, from which it is pumped 
into an elevated tank by means of a water-wheel set near the cliff, 
and distributed over town through pipes. 

Wednesday, 25th — We packed our knapsacks and sent them 
by rail to Rome, Georgia. The advance of our corps started 
early this morning for Decatur, Alabama, but our brigade taking 
up the rear did not leave Huntsville till in the afternoon. From 
Decatur we are to proceed to Rome, Georgia. We marched 
through fine farming country with good buildings, but as usual 
the people are gone and the farms are idle. Such is the effect 
of war, the citizens being afraid to remain while our armies are 
marching back and forth. 

'Rome. Georgia. The order was later countermanded and the army. 
Instead of going to Chattanooga, went to Rome via Decatur, Alabama. 
—A. O. D. 



MOVING FORWARD TO JOIN SHERMAN 191 

(May, 1864) 

Thursday, 26th — We left our bivouac at 6 o'clock this morn- 
ing and marched twelve miles. Within a few miles of Decatur 
we went into bivouac for the night. Advance brigades of our 
army were skirmishing with the rebels today and it is reported 
that the colonel of the Seventeenth New Jersey Regiment was 
killed. Our men captured a provision train and also took some 
prisoners. Our corps teams have been sent out for fodder. 

Friday, 27th — We remained in bivouac until 2 o'clock waiting 
for rations. After getting our rations we crossed the Tennes-see 
river by pontoon bridges and started on our way for Rome, 
Georgia. The railroad bridge of the Memphis & Ohio, here at 
Decatur, was destroyed by our gunboats soon after the battle of 
Shiloh. It took seventy-two pontoon boats to make our bridge. 
Our road today lay through a large swamp which it took some 
time for the artillery and provision trains to cross ; besides we 
had some very rough country to cross, and did not get into 
bivouac until midnight. 

Saturday, 28th — We started at 7 o'clock this morning and 
dragging along slowly with our heavy trains, went into bivouac 
when we reached Somerville at 3 o'clock. Most of our road was 
over very rough country and besides we had to wade one river, 
the bridges being gone. Somerville is a mere village with a 
courthouse, a few stores and about twenty dwellings. 

Sunday, 29th — It was 9 o'clock before we got started this 
morning and though the country here between two mountains is 
very rough, we covered fourteen miles and went into camp in 
the mountains for the first time. Large foraging parties were 
sent out this morning to secure meat. Our advance lines had a 
skirmish with the rebels this afternoon. The health of the men 
is good, but many have sore feet from the hard marching. 

Monday, 30th — The weather is getting quite warm and the 
roads are dusty. Our advance guard broke camp at daylight, 
while our brigade did not get under way until 10 o'clock. We 
crossed a ridge of mountains this afternoon and this evening 
went into camp in the valley close to Warrenton. The moun- 
tains are heavily timbered, mostly chestnut, and the soil is sandy 
and rocky. There are only a few small farms here and there. 
The men have gone to war, while the women and children remain 
with scarcely anything to live on. 



192 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(May, 1864) 

Tuesday, 31st — We broke camp in the early morning and 
started on another day's march, our brigade leaving at 7 o'clock 
and taking up the rear. We climbed the mountains again and 
after marching sixteen miles went into camp on the very top. 
This has been a hard march ; the men are suffering as never be- 
fore from sore feet and some, giving out, had to be hauled in 
the ambulance. Then, too, we are on two-thirds rations because 
of the lack of transportation. 

JUNE, 1864. 

Wednesday, 1st — Our brigade started at 5 this morning, but 
covered only twelve miles. We marched down the Sandy moun- 
tains into the valley and went into bivouac along the banks of 
Sandy creek. The rear of the army did not get into camp until 
midnight. The wagon trains could move but slowly over the 
rough, rocky roads, and even then the teams are almost worn 
out. Many of the horses and mules lost their shoes and have 
broken hoofs and sore feet. Large foraging parties are sent out, 
but because of the poverty oi the country they do not get much. 

Thursday, 2d — A fine shower about noon cooled the air and 
laid the dust. The entire corps lay in camp all day, the men 
washing and mending their clothes, and the blacksmiths shoeing 
the horses and mules. We are in the valley between the Sandy 
and Lookout mountains, which are heavily timbered with pine 
and ash. The quartermaster's trains were sent out on forage to- 
day, but, although the farms in the valley are fairly good, there 
is little to be had, for the few farmers thought it useless to grow 
crops this summer. 

Friday, 3d — It rained nearly all day and changed the dust into 
mud, which made the marching very heavy. We left camp at 8 
o'clock and leaving the valley, traveled over a spur of Lookout 
mountain nine miles across. We marched eighteen miles today 
and bivouacked on the Chattanooga river. We passed a house 
of mourning today where lay the body of the head of the family, 
he having been killed just a few days before in a battle with Sher- 
man's men. I never saw a sadder sight. The wife and daugh- 
ters dressed in deep, rich mourning were most pitifully bewailing 
their loss. But some of our boys remarked that the people of 
the South had brought on this war themselves. 



MOVING FORWARD TO JOIN SHERMAN 193 

<June, 1864) 

Saturday, 4th — We started at 8 o'clock and marched fifteen 
miles today. Have had rain for three days now, but late in the 
afternoon it cleared oft. We had to wade a river, the water 
being only three or four feet deep, and the boys had great fun in 
trying to carry the powder on their heads to keep it dry. We 
were soaking wet from the rain so we did not mind wading the 
river. But the muddy roads make marching very hard, especial- 
ly since we are kept on two-thirds rations when we might just as 
well have more. Large foraging parties were again sent out, 
but there isn't anything in the country to be had, although 
we traversed a level country between two mountains the whole 
day. 

Sunday, 3th — Rain again this forenoon and clear this after- 
noon. We started early this morning, our regiment leading the 
advance division, and at 3 o'clock reached our destination, Rome, 
Georgia. The sixteen miles covered today was over very muddy 
roads, such as we have had for the last fifty miles, and all were 
greatly fatigued. Some of the men gave out completely and had 
to ride in the ambulance. News came that General Grant had 
surrounded Richmond, and that General Sherman was driving 
Johnston, but the report is too good to believe, yet I hope it is true. 

Monday, 6th — It is quite warm. We started early this morn- 
ing, and crossing the Coosa river on a pontoon bridge, passed 
through Rome for Kingston, about fourteen miles distant. We 
arrived at Kingston about 4 o'clock in the afternoon and went 
into camp. Kingston is on the railroad running from Chattanooga 
to Atlanta. Our forces routed the rebels from here about ten days 
ago. A large force of our men is stationed here. There is no 
news from the front. We are still in mountainous country, but 
there are some very nice farms in the valley with fine dwelling 
houses. 

Tuesday, Jth — The weather continues warm. Our corps drew 
fifteen days' rations at Kingston this morning. We left the place 
at 10 o'clock, carrying five days' rations, the balance to be hauled 
by the supply trains. We marched twelve miles to Cartersville 
and went into camp. Our troops control the railroad, which is in 
running order to this place, but the rebels burned the bridge just 
before evacuating the town. Our men will soon have it rebuilt, 
using the old piers, which are intact. It is three hundred feet long 



194 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(June, 1864) 

and one hundred feet above the water. The rebels were very 
strongly fortified here at Cartersville, but they left the place with- 
out fighting - because of our troops flanking them. Cartersville will 
be used as a base of supply for Sherman's army. 

Wednesday, 8th — We moved forward early this morning, 
inarching twelve miles to the little town of Ackworth, where we 
went into camp. We are now with Sherman's army, our corps 
being placed on the left in front of Atlanta. Our front is about 
twenty-five miles north of the city, while my division is back 
about ten miles farther. Sherman's forces now number about one 
hundred and fifty thousand men and it is thought that the rebels 
under Johnston have seventy-five thousand. Our army, in the 
main, is lying still today, though there is some skirmishing in 
the front. The rebels have fallen back about ten miles. The 
health of our men is excellent ; they are in fine spirits and anxious 
for a fight. 



THE BATTLES AROUND ATLANTA 195 

(June. 1864) 



Chapter XVIII. 

The Battles Around Atlanta. In the Field Hospital. 

June 9-July 11. 

Thursday, gth — The weather is fine — warm and pleasant. Our 
corps remained quiet and in its position all day. But orders have 
been given for the whole army to move forward in the morning. 
We commenced drawing full rations again today. I went out on 
picket this evening. 

General Sherman is in command of all of our forces, with 
( jeneral Thomas in command of the right wing, General Hooker 
of the center, and General McPherson of the left. We have a 
large force of cavalry on each of the flanks. The country about 
Atlanta being so hilly and rough, it is exceedingly difficult to 
advance in front of the rebels, they having by far the better po- 
sition. 1 They have a great deal better chance to kill our men 
than we have to kill them. 

Friday, loth — Our entire army moved forward early this 
morning. The teams were all left in the rear. We advanced 
our division about ten miles and went into bivouac at a place 
called Big Shanty. Our front drove in the pickets and did some 
brisk skirmishing and cannonading. The railroad station at Big 
Shanty and the houses have all been burned. Our army is pre- 
pared for a big fight. There is no news from Grant's army, but 
at last accounts things were working fine. 

Saturday, nth — Had a light shower yesterday, while today 
it rained nearly all day. We formed a line of battle this morn- 
ing and moved forward. There was some sharp skirmishing, and 
our cannons were active, but the rebels did not reply. We ad- 
vanced about a half mile and the rebels fell back inside of their 
rifle pits, a mile distant, at the foot of Kenesaw mountain. Each 
regiment then went to work throwing up its own rifle pits. There 
was some more sharp skirmishing, the rebels attempting to turn 

'Sherman's plan was to get up as close as possible to the Confed- 
erates' works, build forts and rifle pits, and then move our right around 
their left, or our left around their right, thus flanking them and threat- 
ening their rear. By that means they would be compelled to evacuate 
their strong works without having the opportunity of fighting from 
behwid them. — A. G. D. 



196 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(June, 1864) 

our left, but we drove them back. The railroad is now in opera- 
tion up to our army, and the first train came in to Big Shanty 1 to- 
day. News came that Lee had evacuated Richmond, but we could 
not believe the report. 

Sunday, 12th — It rained steadily all day. Our forces did not 
advance any today, but they are still throwing up earthworks 
and planting batteries. There was some shelling at a few points 
today by our men and the skirmishing at times was quite lively 
on both sides. But because of so much rain the last two days, 
and since we have worked so hard building rifle pits, we are glad 
to remain quiet and get some rest. As we have no tents, the men 
have built "ranches" out of their rubber ponchos, for shelter and 
for resting places in which to get snatches of sleep. There are no 
tents except the hospital tents, and some of the officers have "fly 
tents" in order to keep their papers and books dry. Our wagon 
trains are kept in the rear for fear of our being suddenly shelled 
and compelled to fall back. The earthworks of both sides are in 
plain view of each other, all the timber between having been cut 
down, and the pickets are close enough together at night to en- 
gage in conversation. 

Monday, 13th — It rained again nearly the whole day. We 
formed a line of battle early this morning, but soon returned to 
our "ranches" with orders to keep our accouterments on and be 
ready to form at a moment's notice. Skirmishing commenced 
early all along the line and there was cannonading from our side 
with no reply from the rebels. Things are progressing fine. 
There is no news from the army around Richmond. I wrote a 
letter today to Robinson Laport of the Twenty-fourth Iowa and 
received one from Miss Moore. 2 

Tuesday, 14th — No rain, but cloudy and quite cool. Skir- 
mishing began again early this morning and our artillery threw 
shells into the rebels' works, but they would not reply. They 
are still fortifying their position. A rebel company con- 
sisting of thirty-five men came over to our lines today and gave 
themselves up. They informed us that there was a whole bri- 
gade that would surrender if given a chance, for they were tired 

'This is the station where Andrews and his band captured an engine 
with tender one Sunday morning: and started up North, but he and his 
men were all captured, and some of them were executed, while others 
were set at liberty. — A. G. D. 

-Miss Moore, of Tipton, Iowa, wrote letters to encourage the sol- 
diers. — A. G. D. 



THE BATTLES AROUND ATLANTA 197 

(.June, 1864) 

of retreating all the while. They also represented to our offi- 
cers that Johnston's entire force numbered only sixty thousand 
men, and said that their artillerymen had orders not to fire when 
our artillery shelled, but to wait until our troops should make a 
charge, and then open up on us. There was one man of the Six- 
teenth Iowa killed today by a rebel sharpshooter. 

Wednesday, ijth — The day has been clear and quite warm. 
This morning Company E was sent out as sharpshooters. Dur- 
ing the night the Eleventh and Sixteenth Regiments had thrown 
up a new line of rifle pits, about a half mile in advance of the old 
one, and at noon today moved forward in line of battle into the 
new trenches. At the same time our skirmish line was ordered 
to advance on the rebel skirmish line, and it being our com- 
pany's turn to go out on the line, w r e were deployed and advanced, 
driving in the rebel skirmish line for almost a half mile, push- 
ing them back from their first and second lines of fence rails 
piled up for their protection. We approached so near to their 
rifle pits at the foot of Kenesaw mountain as to make it possi- 
ble for their artillerymen to use grape and canister upon us, kill- 
ing one man, William Alexander. The rebel skirmishers now 
received reinforcements, while our skirmishers on the left failing 
to come up with us, made a gap in our lines and left us in a very 
hot place for a little while, as it gave the rebels a cross fire on 
us, and we were compelled to fall back, thus losing some of the 
ground taken. But just then our colonel sent another company 
in double quick to relieve us, and our lost position was regained. 
We had become completely used up and lost one man killed, one 
mortally wounded, seven slightly wounded, and one man taken 
prisoner. 1 Our stretcher bearers, after the fight, raised the white 
flag and went to get the body of Alexander for burial. 

Thursday, 16th — Skirmishing commenced again early this 
morning. The rebel batteries off on the left would fire a 
round or two and just as soon as our guns would open on them 
they would stop firing. General Leggett's Division on the left 
drove the rebels back about a mile, and there was some very 
heavy cannonading in the afternoon on the right, where it is re- 
ported that General Thomas made a charge on the rebels' left, 
around the rear and got possession of Pine Hills. It was reported 

'As was supposed at the time. See note under June 16th. — Ed. 



198 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(June. 1864) 

that at one point a rebel regiment, the Forty-third Mississippi, 
was ordered to make a charge on our lines and when they started 
their colonel ordered them to reverse arms, and they came march- 
ing right into our lines, surrendering themselves as prisoners of 
war. While our men were making demonstrations all along the 
line yesterday, about one thousand rebels were taken pris- 
oners, some of them surrendering without firing a gun. They 
said that there was a great discontent in the ranks of their army 
around Atlanta ; that they were tired of continually falling back, 
and that many had come to the conclusion that the war on their 
part could be nothing else than a failure. Company E is lying 
quiet today. The rough treatment we experienced yesterday was 
a hard blow to the company, for the loss of nine men from one 
company in a skirmish line, in less than four hours, does not often 
happen. 1 

Friday, ijth — Our brigade was moved out to the left of the 
Fourth Division during the night, and General Logan's Division 
occupied our former position. The Eleventh was at work nearly 
all night throwing up a new line of rifle pits, while the other regi- 
ments of our brigade occupied pits previously made by other 
troops. During the night Logan's Division was twice charged 
upon, but both times repulsed the attack. Skirmishing began early 
this morning and continued throughout the day. Our entire left 
wing was ordered to fall in all along the line and make a demon- 
stration, by cheering and by opening our batteries. This was 
done to compel them to draw reinforcements from their left, while 
our right would then charge their weakened left. 2 During these 
demonstrations and skirmishing the captain of Company C was 
wounded by a sharpshooter, as was also a private in Company G. 

'Our losses were as follows: William Alexander, killed; Lieutenant 
Alfred Carey, mortally wounded; John Zitler, a thumb shot off; Thomas 
R. MeConnoll, a ininie ball passed through thigh; John Ford, LeRoy 
Douglas, George G. Main and John Albin, slightly wounded. James 
Martin, it was thought at the time, had been taken prisoner, but on 
the fifth day after the skirmish his body was found by an Ohio regi- 
ment, lying with the bodies of two Confederate soldiers. They had 
made Martin a prisoner, it seems, but before they could get to the rear 
with him, a shell from one of our batteries exploded over them, killing 
all three. Then, as they were considerably back from our lines, the 
body was not found until the enemy had fallen back and our army had 
advanced; besides, our brigade in the meantime had moved two miles 
to the left. 

Martin had both logs cut off by the shell. A captain from the Ohio 
regiment which had found his body, brought his silver watch, Bible, 
some letters and other articles found on his person, and turned them 
over to our captain, informing him how Martin, in all probability, lost 
his life. — A. G. D. 

'This is strategy of war. — A. G. D. 



THE BATTLES AROUND ATLANTA 199 

(June, 1864) 

Saturday, 18th — A light rain yesterday was followed by rain 
most of today, and all was quiet along the lines until late this 
evening, when there was heavy cannonading till late in the night. 
We were ordered to keep all accouterments on and our rifles at 
our sides during the night, for it is expected by our officers that 
the rebels will attack our left or evacuate. Deserters report that 
their men have orders to that effect. There has been some very 
hard fighting on our right this afternoon, and General Thomas 
has turned the rebels' left and pierced their center. 1 The news 
from Richmond is that General Grant is on the south of Rich- 
mond, that he has taken Fort Darling, and that he is going to 
change his base of operations. 

Sunday, igth — It rained hard all day. Cannonading com- 
menced early this morning and was kept up all day, being very 
heavy in the center. We have outflanked the rebels' right and 
they have fallen back from their first line of rifle pits and have 
placed their heavy guns on high points of ground. It is sup- 
posed that they are on the retreat towards Atlanta, as it is re- 
ported that they have fallen back from two to four miles and are 
building strong earthworks. The First Brigade of our Fourth 
Division has now formed a line of battle beyond their former first 
line of rifle pits. The Thirteenth and the Fifteenth Iowa Regi- 
ments moved out in the front this afternoon. 

The rain today has been a great benefit to those who are 
wounded. May God help them and stand by them, and may they 
return thanks unto Him ! May they ever look unto Him for their 
support and help. 

Monday, 20th — It has been quite warm today with rain this 
evening. Things were quiet all along the line until in the after- 
noon, when there was heavy fighting in the center, and all our 
artillery opened upon the rebels, without response from their 
guns. The heaviest cannonading that we have had yet was from 
our center, and it lasted for two hours. The rebels have fallen 
back, but still hold Kenesaw mountain and have their heavy bat- 
teries planted on the very top, while our men are along the north 
side of the mountain, slowly ascending it. Our regiment moved 
to the front again this evening and two companies, I and H, are 
out on picket. 

'The final result of the demonstrations on the left the previous day 
— Ed. 



200 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(June, 1864) 

Tuesday, 21st — Another all day rain and things were very 
still all along the lines until late in the afternoon when there was 
some brisk skirmishing. General Hooker made two charges on 
the rebel works yesterday ; the first time he was repulsed, but 
the second time he carried them and took several hundred pris- 
oners. General Osterhaus at the same time made a charge and 
took about two hundred prisoners. There is no news from Rich- 
mond. 

Wednesday, 22d — It has cleared off and is quite warm today. 
The rebels commenced shelling us this morning, but did little 
damage, as their shells fell short of our lines, on account of their 
insufficient charges of powder, we suppose, and because their 
guns are too small to stand heavier charges. Our batteries opened 
up and exchanged shots with them for about two hours. Our 
men commenced throwing up heavy earthworks this evening. 
Company C went out on picket this evening. There have been 
no trains coming in to Big Shanty for the last two days on account 
of the rebels' destroying the railroad on this side of Chattanooga ; 
but it will be repaired in a few days. Our army draws full ra- 
tions with the exception of meat, of which we are allowed but 
three-fifths rations. 

Thursday, 23d — We were up all night throwing up breast- 
works, finishing them about noon today. The rebels opened up 
their battery on Little Kenesaw mountain, but did no harm. Gen- 
eral Leggett on the right made a demonstration before the rebel 
lines, but was not engaged and soon fell back again. 1 All is quiet 
on the right. The Sixteenth Corps was ordered out on an expe- 
dition with fifteen days' rations, but we do not know their des- 
tination. We received orders to be ready to march at a moment's 
warning, with two days' rations. William Cross of Company E 
returned from the hospital after an absence of ten months. 

Friday, 2jth — Our skirmish line was advanced late yesterday 

'I remember quite distinctly seeing- General Sherman with his staff 
officers riding along our lines taking in the lay of the country. They 
had just passed by where I was stationed, when they halted near one 
of our batteries and began using their field glasses, taking a view of 
the enemy's lines. At that same time a Confederate general with his 
staff rode out of the timber upon an open knoll to take a view of out- 
lines with their glasses. This was too good a chance for our battery, 
so the gunners, taking good aim, fired five or six shots at the mark, 
and one of them hit and killed the Confederate general, who the signal 
corps reported was a General Pope. Our signal corps had learned the 
signs of the Confederate signal service and at once reported the facts. 
The Confederates claimed that General Sherman himself had aimed the 
shot which killed their general, but such is not the case. — A. G. D. 



THE BATTLES AROUND ATLANTA 201 

(June, 1864) 

evening and the men worked all night building rifle pits to pro- 
tect themselves today : I was on a detail that worked till I o'clock. 
The Fifteenth and Sixteenth furnished the skirmishers for the 
brigade, and the Fifteenth had two men killed. There was some 
skirmishing with heavy cannonading today. Our company with 
Companies F and G went out this evening after sundown to re- 
lieve the skirmishers, and we worked again most of the night 
throwing up rifle pits. Things are usually very quiet after night, 
though now and then skirmishing breaks out and arouses a little 
excitement. 

Saturday, 25th — We remained out in the rifle pits till this 
evening, when we were relieved by the Fifteenth Iowa. John 
Esher was shot through the face this afternoon by a rebel 
sharpshooter. The shot was fired through one of the "port- 
holes" under the head log of our defenses, where he was at the 
time loading his gun. The ball struck his jaw bone, knocking 
out some of his teeth, but it is thought that he will recover. 1 
There is no news from Richmond. 

Sunday, 26th — There was very little cannonading and skir- 
mishing today. We drew two days' rations with orders to be 
ready to march at a moment's warning. Several brigades of the 
Fifteenth Army Corps are moving out to the rear, but we do not 
know their destination. The health of the troops is fine, although 
they are much fatigued. We have a great many wounded at 
the hospital, but it is reported that they are getting along fine. 

May God hasten the day when this cruel war will be brought 
to a close, so that our nation may enjoy peace once more. May 
He hasten the day when the rebels will lay down their arms and 
return again to their homes. But we must remember that there 
may be many men yet who will fall for their country before 
it is free from this accursed secession. May God be with us and 
help us as we stand in need, for He is a God of battles. 

Monday, 27th — There was a general line of battle formed this 
morning and orders given to make a charge all along the lines. 

'Esher said to me, "I'm going- to see what I'm shooting at," and 
walked up to peer through the porthole, when all of a sudden a ball 
crashed in, knocking him down, and as he fell back his heels kicked 
up. He was right by my side when he was struck and as he fell he 
cried out, "Oh, boys, I'm killed!" After he recovered, we laughed a 
great deal over it, at his expense, for he thought that now he was really 
killed. But although Esher recovered from the wound, yet he was de- 
formed for life. His head was drawn down on the side of the wound, 
since the cords of the neck were shorter than on the other side. — A. G. D. 



202 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(June, 1864) 

The center charged in full force, but as the flanks failed to charge, 
soon had to fall back. The Eleventh and Sixteenth Iowa fur- 
nished the skirmishers for our brigade and charged the rebels' 
skirmish line, but were driven back to their old line. Our side 
lost several in killed and wounded, and what little was gained did 
not pay for the loss of life. Company A of our regiment was 
in the charge and had one man killed ; so close was he to the 
rebel works that our men had to raise the white flag in order 
to get his body. The Fifty-third Indiana made a charge on the 
rebel rifle pits and lost about forty men, taken as prisoners. When 
they made the charge, the rebels lay down in their pits, allowing 
them to come close up, when they rose up with their rifles drawn 
and said : "Come on, boys, we won't hurt you," and took them pris- 
oners. 

Tuesday, 28th — There was cannonading and skirmishing to- 
day on both sides, all along the lines, but our men did not at- 
tempt to advance the line of battle. We have orders to be ready 
to march at a moment's warning. 

Wednesday, 29th — There was heavy cannonading on our side 
today, but the rebels did not reply. Our company was out on 
the skirmish line again, but I could not go with them on account 
of sickness. I have not been fit for duty since Saturday even- 
ing, the 25th, but on last Monday, the 27th, I was taken quite 
sick, having contracted the intermittent fever while digging the 
rifle pits along a branch infected with malaria. The weather was 
quite hot today, which is hard on the sick. 

Thursday, 30th — The Seventeenth Army Corps have removed 
all their surplus baggage to the rear for the purpose of making 
a flanking movement on the rebels, who are reported to be fall- 
ing back from their lines around Kenesaw mountain. Our ar- 
tillery in the front is still in action, but the rebels make no reply. 

JULY, 1864. 

Friday, 1st — All is very quiet along the lines today. The 
rebels have built a strong line of works out along Nick-a-Jack 
creek, and it is reported that they are planning to retire from 
Kenesaw mountain and Marietta to their new line of works. 

Saturday, 2d — All the sick have been removed to the field 



THE BATTLES AROUND ATLANTA 203 

(July, 1864) 

hospital in the rear of the army. I was brought here to our di- 
vision field hospital, near Big Shanty, with a few others. Our 
army supplies at Big Shanty have been removed by the 
general quartermaster, as the army has been ordered around to 
the right. The Fifteenth, Sixteenth and Seventeenth Corps are 
leaving the left flank altogether, and are hastening to the right 
wing. The rebels have now left Kenesaw mountain and Mari- 
etta and have moved around to their left so as to keep our right 
from flanking them. 

Sunday, 3d — All is quiet. Our men are still marching around 
to the right. The Seventeenth Corps drove the rebels back about 
two miles, taking one line of their works. Wagon trains are 
going by the hospital day and night, and the roads are getting 
very dusty. 

Monday, 4th — Our corps is still moving forward, and it is now 
along Nick-a-Jack creek. We learned here in the hospital that 
the corps lost several men killed and wounded in the skirmish 
fights yesterday. This has been a hard day for me, as I have to lie 
in the open without any shelter over me, the hospital tents being so 
crowded with the wounded. I have been taking some strong med- 
icine the last two days, in the hope that it would break up the 
fever. 

Tuesday, 5th — Our men are still advancing. The Eleventh 
Iowa made a charge on the rebels' left, on Nick-a-Jack creek, 
and took one line of rifle pits. We lost a few in killed and 
wounded. William Cross of Company E was killed by a piece 
of shell from the rebels' batteries ; he had returned from the 
hospital to his company only about two weeks before. I am still 
in the hospital and no better. It is quite sultry today. 

Wednesday, 6th — There is still skirmishing on the lines and 
some cannonading going on, but there is no general advance along 
the lines, except on the extreme left. 

Thursday, /th — It is quite warm. Still skirmishing and can- 
nonading. The wounded in the hospital are getting along fine. 

Friday, 8th — The weather is quite pleasant today. Wounded 
men are coming in from the front every day. Our men are 
strongly fortified in front of the rebel works, and within about 
a mile of the Chattahoochee river. 



204 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(July, 1864) 

Saturday, pth — The rebels left their rifle pits in the night and 
crossed the Chattahoochee river. 1 

Sunday, 10th — The sick and wounded were all moved today 
from the division hospital to Marietta. This could safely be done, 
now that the rebels have fallen back across the river. Marietta 
is not likely to be within the lines of a fierce battle, in case the 
rebels should come around on either flank of our army. It is 
very quiet all along the lines today. 

Monday, nth — A train load of the sick and wounded left to- 
day over the railroad for Rome, Georgia, where they are to go 
into the hospital. I stayed here at Marietta all day. 2 The gen- 
eral quartermaster has his headquarters here now since the rail- 
road is in running order to this point. The supplies for the army 
are being taken from here by wagon trains and distributed along 
the lines as needed. A great many citizens are coming into Mari- 
etta for the purpose of going North to get away from the war 
region. 



J General Sherman always moved his army by the right or left flank 
when he found the Confederate fortifications in front too strong to make 
a charge, and in that way the enemy had to fall back, leaving their 
strong position. — A. G. D. 

2 Mr. Downing thought that his fever was broken and that he might 
soon rejoin his company, yet he feared that he would have to go to 
Rome. There was some danger in going to Rome, because of a possible 
attack, and then he dreaded the thought of being confined in the gen- 
eral hospital. — Ed. 



IN THE HOSPITAL AT ROME, GEORGIA 205 

(July, 1864) 



Chapter XIX. 
In the Hospital at Rome, Georgia. Reports from the Front. 
July 12-September 23. 

Tuesday, 12th — I was taken with the other sick and the 
wounded to Rome, to the field hospital of the Fifteenth, Sixteenth 
and Seventeenth Army Corps. We left Marietta at io a. m. and 
arrived at Rome at 6 p. m. No news. 

Wednesday, 13th — There are a great many sick and wounded 
at this place. All of the vacant store buildings are filled with the 
sick, while the wounded are cared for in tents east of town. Noth- 
ing of any importance. 

Thursday, 14th — I am with a large number of sick in a ward 
over a vacant store building. For the last four days I have had 
the camp diarrhea, and have become so weak that I have to lie 
on my cot all the time. 1 But we have a good doctor in this ward. 

Friday, 15th — There is nothing new. We have very poor 
food here in the hospital, but we have good water. Rome was 
selected for our field hospital because of the good water and be- 
cause it was on high, rolling ground, thus affording drainage. 
There are very few citizens living in Rome, they having gone 
before our army took possession of the town, some going to the 
North, others to the South. There was no burning of property 
here, our officers having placed guards about town to prevent it. 

Saturday, 16th — The weather is pleasant. There is nothing 
of any importance. 

Sunday, i/th — The same as ever. Am still in the hospital, 
but getting some better, and I am very thankful, for it is very 
disagreeable to lie sick in a field hospital. We have soldiers for 
nurses, and though they are convalescents, yet they are strong 
enough to care for the sick and wounded. They are glad to do 
everything possible for their comrades. 

Monday, 18th — The weather is quite pleasant. There is noth- 
ing of any importance. All is quiet. 

'Mr. Downing has an entry in his diary for every day, but wrote 
them at a later date, after he was convalescing 1 . — Ed. 



206 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(July, 1864) 

Tuesday, ipth — It is the same thing over and over. My fever 
is broken now and I am getting better. I just learned that there 
are three others of my company here in the hospital, all in dif- 
ferent wards. They are Lieutenant Alfred Carey, Thomas R. 
McConnoll and John Zitler, all wounded on the skirmish line on 
June 15th at Noon-day creek at the foot of Kenesaw mountain. 

Wednesday, 20th — Have had pleasant weather for a week 
now. Most of the citizens remaining here have been moved out 
of town, for the purpose of using their homes for hospitals. No 
news. 1 

Thursday, 21st — The same thing over and over, again and 
again. 2 All the available rooms in town have now been turned 
into hospital wards. We have single, iron cots with good mat- 
tresses, and the sheets and pillows are kept nice and clean. 

Friday, 22d — The citizens remaining in town, after so long 
a time, have become quite reconciled. Nothing new from the 
front. 8 

Saturday, 23d — All is quiet. No news from the front. A 
great many sick and wounded are coming in from the front. 
Deaths occur here at the hospital every day. 

Sunday, 24th — The weather is sultry. All is quiet, and no 
news from the front. I am gaining every day and can be up and 
around in the ward, but have not yet been out of doors. 

Monday, 25th — It is hot and sultry. Lieutenant Carey died 
this morning here in the hospital, from his wounds, after suffer- 
ing thirty-five days, he having been wounded on the skirmish line 
on the 15th of June. He was shot in the left thigh, the minie 
ball glancing from his hip and lodging near the spine. But the 
doctors were not able to locate it until after his death, when they 
removed it. I had not seen Lieutenant Carey from the time he 
was wounded until after he had died, being present when his body 

2 On this day David Hobaugh of my company was killed on the skir- 
mish line. Our entire army moved forward making an advance on At- 
lanta. — A. G. D. 

3 On this day the Iowa Brigade made a charge on Bald Hill, in front 
of Atlanta. — A. G. D. 

3 In the battle of this day the Iowa Brigade was on the extreme left 
of the Seventeenth Corps, and all four regiments suffered in the num- 
ber killed and wounded, besides losing many as prisoners of war. George 
Sweet of Company E was killed and Aaron Pierce was missing. The 
Sixteenth Iowa lost over two hundred and thirty, who were taken pris- 
oners. This battle, known as the battle of Atlanta, proved to be the 
hardest fought battle for our brigade during the siege of Atlanta. Major 
General McPherson was killed in this battle, and the loss of our beloved 
McPherson was a great blow to the Army of the Tennessee. He was 
a noble man and kind to all under his command. — A. G. D. 



Cftta ,.„, "" ™ E H0SPITAL AT ROME, GEORG.A 207 

was dressed for burial. John Zitler came over to my ward and 

paeked n L ,r T, "' ?* " Ws clothin «f and °*er artic.es 
packed by the chaplain, who has charge of all the effects of the 
decea ed sold.ers, and they will be forwarded to Mrs. Carey a! 
then- home m Cedar County, Iowa. Lieutenant Carey's bodv la 
buned m h,s uniform here at Rome, Georgia. 

Tuesday 26th-H is very warm. Still lying on my old cot 
The hospnal ,s one of the hardest places that" I have found since 
I have been m the serv.ee; but when a soldier gets sick he ha! 

Unfed sLV ' hat ^ T" bC take " Care of ' ' h ™ »«» h 
Untied States serv.ee three years now, and this is the first time 
for me ,n the hospital. I hope that k may be the ^ ^ ll ™ 

ollttt Tr U J S qUite Wa ™- N ° thi "g of ™P<*an ee. 

fever Tk S ° >' ' .™ take " sick with «* intermittent 

tever, at Kenesaw mountain. 

Thursday, tfth-Ko news. All is quiet. I am still gainine 
strength slowly. We ge, very poor board here for if ™ 
to gam strength on, bu, we must make the best of it at present 
The room we occupy, called a ward, is about one hundred fee, 

InTch's de M Uth ' t and " t ^ ^ ^ is * ™ of c 

°t is so h^ it, ? ' "V" the ™ eSt Side - and in the afternoons 

rout „ , , T "" hard ' y Stand "• There »" windows in 
iront and along the west side. 

Friday *»A-It is quite sultry today. Six deaths occurred 
today an the three wards of our building. One of the sick men 

nTg He ha°d h ^^^ ° hio Cavalry, died 1 S 

n.ght. He had been very s.ck, but was getting better and iust 
before he ay down for the night, told me that he felt better C 
for several days; but a few hours later he was dead dying very 
suddenly. He left a small family. Life is indeed ve y uTc!rt a in 
We should be prepared to meet death any moment, for we know 
not when the brittle thread of life will be broken and we hav! 
to go to meet our Lord, prepared or unprepared. 

Saturday, 3 oth-h is quite warm and sultry. We have a man 

ike a ch.ld. He has been promised a furlough, and I believe 
that ,f he could no, get it he would die. AU fhe wounded ere 
able to take care of themselves on the way, are going home 2 



208 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(July, 1864) 

thirty-day furloughs. Three from our company, Thomas R. Mo 
Connoll, John Zitler and John Hilton, are going. John Esher is 
not going until his wound gets better. A great many of the 
wounded men are dying, for the weather is so hot the wounds 
quickly mortify. No news from the front. 

Sunday, 31st — Quite warm. It rained very hard this after- 
noon. There is no news of any importance. Everything appears 
so dull and the time passes so slowly. I am considered a con- 
valescent now by the doctor and he has put me to work dealing 
out the medicine to the sick. Our chaplains here in the hospital 
hold preaching services in the churches of the town on Sundays. 
The convalescent soldiers make up the audience, as most of the 
citizens are gone, having given up their houses for hospital pur- 
poses. 

AUGUST, 1864. 

Monday, 1st — Quite warm and sultry. There isn't any news 
from the front. There is a force of about two thousand here 
under command of General Vandever, with an equal number of 
convalescents. The courthouse, located on the highest point of 
ground in Rome, is our citadel, strongly fortified with guns fac- 
ing in all directions. The place is soon to be garrisoned with 
two regiments of negro troops, and the few remaining citizens 
are greatly agitated over the thought of being stopped on the 
streets by negro guards and required to show their passes. 

Tuesday, 2d — We had a refreshing rain last night. Gov- 
ernor Stone of Iowa arrived at the hospital this morning, 
having come from the front, with an order from General Sher- 
man granting a thirty-day furlough to the sick and wounded from 
the Iowa regiments here in the hospital. Those able for duty are 
to be sent to the front. News came from the front that the Iowa 
Brigade was badly cut to pieces in the battle of the 22d of July. 
Many of them were taken prisoners, including almost all of the 
Sixteenth Regiment. Among the killed are the major of the Thir- 
teenth and the lieutenant colonel of the Fifteenth. 1 There is no 
news from General Grant's army. 

'Later I learned that while the brigade's loss was great, yet Com- 
pany E's loss was light. By a flank movement the brigade advanced a 
short distance upon Atlanta. — A. G. L. 



IN THE HOSPITAL AT ROME, GEORGIA 209 

(August, 1864) 

Wednesday, 3d — Everything is quiet here in Rome, Georgia. 
There is no news from General Grant's army. 

Thursday, 4th — It is warm and sultry. There is no news from 
the front. I am still serving the medicine to the sick. 

Friday, 5th — It rained nearly all day. The troops here are 
receiving their pay today, some for one and others for two months. 
Since May 1st the Government has been paying the privates 
$16.00 per month, which is an increase of $3.00. But money 
here in Rome is of no particular benefit to a soldier, for there is 
nothing in town to buy, the only business men being the sutlers 
who are attached to the regiments in the front. All is quiet at 
this place. 

Saturday, 6th — It is warm and pleasant again. This is gen- 
eral scrub-day for all the hospitals ; the floors are scrubbed, clean 
sheets and pillow slips put on the cots, and clean underclothes 
are dealt out for the sick. 

Sunday, 7th — A train came in this evening from the front 
loaded with the wounded from the Seventeenth Army Corps. 
They were wounded in the battles of July 21st, 22d and 28th 
around Atlanta. There is still no news from Grant's army. 

Monday, 8th — This morning I was put in as head nurse of 
ward D, hospital number 4. My duty is to direct the nurses in 
dealing out medicine and attending to the needs of the sick. 

Tuesday, pth — A train loaded with wounded came in last night 
from Marietta, Georgia, and they were sent out to the field hos- 
pital east of town. 

Wednesday, 10th — No news from the front. The sick in my 
ward are all getting along well, with the exception of two men 
who are suffering severely with inflammatory rheumatism. Some 
of the men are returning to the front, while others are going 
home on furloughs. 

Thursday, nth — A train loaded with sick and wounded came 
in this afternoon from the front. Some of our convalescents had 
to give up their cots to the sick, and go out to the field hospital, 
where they will occupy tents. 

Friday, 12th — It rained nearly all day. I received a letter to- 
day from William Green, my bunk-mate out in the front. He 
reports that the loss of our company in the battles of July 21st 



210 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(August, 1864) 

and 22d before Atlanta was four men: George Sweet and David 
Hobaugh killed, and H. Newans wounded, and Aaron Pearce is 
missing. I wrote a letter to Albert Downing this afternoon. 

Saturday, 13th — This is general scrub-day, and we are clean- 
ing up the wards of the hospital. We have good food for the 
sick served to them on their cots. The convalescents go out to 
the dining room for their meals. No news from General Grant's 
army. 

Sunday, 14th — A hot, sultry day. There is no news of any 
importance. We are giving close attention to the very sick and 
the severely wounded, some of whom are dying every day. 

A SET OF RESOLUTIONS. 

Resolved, That I may from this day learn something new 
from the Scriptures every day, and that I may obey the laws of 
God as near as I can, in entreating my fellow men, and in doing 
good for the Master's sake. 

Resolved, That I may once a day or more offer thanks to my 
Savior for his help ; and, above all, that I may try to live a true 
Christian until death. May God help me so to live, is my prayer. 

Monday, 15th — It is quite warm. All is quiet. There is noth- 
ing new from the front. A large number of men left the hos- 
pital this morning for the front. I would like to go, too, but the 
doctor tells me that I can do more good by staying here and 
caring for the sick. This is my birthday — twenty-two years old 
today. 

Tuesday, 16th — There was a heavy rain this afternoon. All 
is quiet and there is no train in today from the front. I sold my 
American lever watch today for $33.50, which is $4.50 more than 
I paid for it in Davenport, Iowa. 

Wednesday, 17th — No rain today — the first day without rain 
during this month. A train load of sick and wounded came in 
today from the front. The railroad is in running order again 
after the raid by General Wheeler, in which he tore up about two 
miles of track near Dalton, Georgia. It is reported that Wheeler 
has been captured with eight hundred of his men. 

Thursday, 18th — It is the same old thing over and over. The 
first thing we do when sick and wounded soldiers come to the 



IN THE HOSPITAL AT ROME, GEORGIA 211 

(August, 1864) 

hospital, is to pack all their clothing, blankets, knapsacks and the 
like, store their accouterments and guns in a dry place, and deal 
out to each a cotton shirt, drawers, socks and a pair of carpet 
slippers. When they get well, their clothes and equipment are 
returned to them, and in case of death their personal effects are 
turned over to the regimental officer, who sends them to their 
former homes. 

Friday, ipth — A man by the name of Henry Neeley, a patient 
in our ward, died this afternoon of consumption. We were giv- 
ing him cod liver oil, a tablespoonful six times a day. Nothing 
new from the front. 

Saturday, 20th — This is general scrub day. We had a busy 
day in the hospital fitting out cots for the latest arrivals. Our 
ward is crowded to the limit, there being more sick and wounded 
here now than at any previous time. Our hospital number 4 con- 
tains only the sick. All is quiet. No news from General Grant. 

Sunday, 21st — It is the same thing over again — lonesome, 
lonesome, lonesome. The first thing in the morning is to serve 
each man with food according to his condition and the doctor's 
orders, and then deal out the medicine. There is a death every 
day. 

Monday, 22d — It is quite cool and pleasant this morning and 
things appear quite lively in town. I wrote a letter to Mr. G. G. 
Evans, Philadelphia, ordering a gold pen, for which I enclosed 
$5.oo. 1 

Tuesday, 23d — Foggy this morning and sultry throughout the 
day. David Huff of our company died here today in the field 
hospital east of town, of the wound he received on the 12th of 
the month. He was a schoolmate of mine, and a good boy. He 
will be missed by all of the boys of the company. 

Wednesday, 2jth — William Snow died in our ward last night. 
This is a dreadfully hot day, and since our ward is so crowded, 
we make this a special scrub-day, to cool the atmosphere as well 
as to keep the place clean. 

Thursday, 25th — There are now from five thousand to six 
thousand sick and wounded here, and still more are coming. 
Though some of the sick are gaining slowly, yet there are from 

■Mr. Downing says that was the last of his $5.00, for he never heard 
from the order. — Ed. 



212 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(August, 1864) 

five to six deaths daily ; there have been as many as eight deaths 
in a day, and not less than three a day for the time the hospital 
has been established here. I am told that the dead are buried in 
the Rome cemetery. Most of the men are sent out to the front 
again just as soon as they can go. General Hospital, Ward D, 
Second Section, Second Division. Rome, Georgia. 

Friday, 26th — A large number of the boys are going home on 
furloughs. Their papers came in from the front today, signed up, 
and the boys are to start home tomorrow. Thomas R. McCon- 
noll and John Zitler of our company are among them. I am 
sending $25.00 home to father by John Zitler. That makes a 
total of $445.40 which I have sent home. A. G. Downing, Com- 
pany E, Eleventh Iowa, Veteran Volunteers. 

Saturday, 2/th — All things are quiet. The furloughed men 
left on the train this morning for their homes. This has been 
another very busy day with us, being our regular clean-up day. 
No news from the front. 

Sunday, 28th — No news. All things quiet. Rome, Georgia. 

Monday, 2gth — News came that General Grant had an en- 
gagement with the rebels on the Danville railroad near Peters- 
burg, Virginia. The loss was heavy on both sides, but Grant 
succeeded in holding his place. The fight took place on the 21st 
of the month. 

Tuesday, 30th — It is warm and sultry. There are not so many 
sick and wounded coming in as there were a few days ago. Quite 
a number, at their own request, are being sent out to the front. 
When the convalescents are able for duty, they can't stand it to 
remain here ; the first thought is to get back into the lines. 
Taking care of the sick is no light work, if one does his duty. 
The worst is that there is so much sad, heart-rending work to 
do, ministering to the dying, taking down their farewells to be 
sent to their homes ; then after death, we have to roll the bodies 
in their blankets and carry them to the "deadhouse," where other 
hands take charge and bury them without coffin or ceremony. 

Wednesday, 31st — The same old thing over again. Nothing 
new from the front. 1 The sick and also the attendants here in 

'Crocker's Iowa Brigade at this time was down at Jonesboro, below 
Atlanta, stationed on the Atlanta & Montgomery Railroad, which was one 
of the main roads running into Atlanta from the South. The losses in 
the brigade while there, were small. — A. G. D. 



IN THE HOSPITAL AT ROME, GEORGIA 213 

(August, 1864) 

the hospital were mustered for pay today. This is muster day 
throughout the entire army. 

SEPTEMBER, 1864. 

Thursday, 1st — It is quite warm. Nothing of importance. 1 
The number of men in the hospitals is decreasing rapidly, for so 
many are going home on furloughs and no more are coming in. 2 

Friday, 2d — Cloudy and warm — threatened rain. No news. 3 
I wrote two letters today, one to Lewis Elseffer and one to Mrs. 
Mary Ham, Iowa City, Iowa. 

Saturday, jrf — A report 4 came in today that General Sherman 
has his headquarters in Atlanta, and that the rebel army is in 
retreat with our army after them. 5 News came also of the sur- 
render of Fort Morgan at Mobile, Alabama ; also that General 
Grant is shelling Petersburg with fifteen-inch shells. All things 
are quiet here at Rome, Georgia. 

Sunday, 4th — It is cool and quite pleasant. No news of any 
importance. The boys in my ward are all getting along fine, 
with the exception of two or three, and it is doubtful whether 
they will ever again be well. 

Monday, $th — Clear and quite pleasant. All things are quiet." 

"On September 1st Crocker's Iowa Brigade advanced from Jonesboro 
to Flint creek with the remainder of Sherman's army. The loss during 
the day was light. — A. G. D. 

2 This shows how completely in the dark our diarist-nurse was, as 
to what was going on around Atlanta. — Ed. 

: On this day John Hilton of Company E was severely wounded In 
the right side at Lovejoy Station. This was the last day's fighting In 
the siege of Atlanta. Crocker's Iowa Brigade had been under Are 
eightv-one davs out of the eighty-seven days of the siege — from June 
to September. — A. G. D. 

*The information was gathered from a poster or news sheet about 
four inches wide and twenty-two inches long, printed on one side and 
sold among the soldiers at the hospital. Mr. Downing purchased one, 
which he has preserved, and thinks he paid ten cents for it. — Ed. 

^General Sherman finally took Atlanta by a bit of strategy. He 
withdrew his army from the rifle-pits in front of Atlanta, and placing 
the Twentieth Army Corps across the Chattahoochee river to protect 
his base of supplies at Marietta, moved with the remainder of the army 
in a wide circuit by his right flank and got into the rear of Hood's 
army. It is said that when Sherman made this move, Hood, taking it 
for granted that Sherman had given up the siege, proclaimed the fact, 
and he and his army, together with the citizens of Atlanta, began cele- 
brating the event with a great jollification. But when Hood, in the 
midst of their rejoicings, learned by courier the truth about Sherman's 
move, and that the Union army was in his rear in full force, he sent 
orders throughout his camp and the city, calling every man to arms. 
He immediately began the evacuation of Atlanta, destroying the ammu- 
nition and all army supplies. — A. G. D. 

"Men were leaving every day for the front and but few were brought 
to our hospitals, since the Union army was in possession of Atlanta, 
where hospitals were being established, while those at Rome were to be 
closed just as soon as the sick there were able to go to the front. — A. 
G. D. 



214 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(September, 1864) 

Tuesday, 6th — News came that General Sherman was still in 
pursuit of the rebels, and that he has captured a great many of 
them. This morning I was transferred from Ward D to Ward E 
as wardmaster, the master of Ward E having been sent to the 
front. I have charge of eleven sick men and they are getting 
along well. One poor fellow with a severe case of inflammatory 
rheumatism is entirely helpless. 

Wednesday, /th — The weather is still quite pleasant. There 
is nothing of any importance. All is quiet. Ward E is on the 
ground floor of the same building as Ward D, but at the rear of 
the building, and is a poor place to put sick men for any length of 
time, as it is poorly ventilated. 

Thursday, 8th — Cool and cloudy with some rain today. All is 
quiet. 1 

Friday, pth — It is clear and quite warm. The constant shift- 
ing of the sick and wounded men makes a great deal of work for 
the convalescents here. They are planning to close the hospitals 
here as soon as possible and the hospital equipment will be shipped 
either to Chattanooga or Nashville until needed. The field hos- 
pital at Atlanta is all that will be needed. 

Saturday, ioth — A large number were sent to the front this 
morning. Jeremiah Argo of Company E, who had been among 
the wounded, was one of them. It is reported that the rebels 
are planning to raid this place, for we have but few soldiers here 
to defend it. 

Sunday, nth — This is a quiet day. I have only five boys in 
my ward now with one nurse. The ward is to be closed in a 
few days and some of the wounded out in the tents will occupy it. 

Monday, 12th — No news. We have received no mail and no 
late papers for some time, because the main railroad to Atlanta 
has been torn up by the rebels for some distance between Nash- 
ville and Chattanooga. 

Tuesday, 13th — All is quiet here at Rome. Another large 
squad of men was sent from the hospital to the front at Atlanta. 
Nearly every day there are some leaving for their homes on fur- 
loughs. I received a letter today from Lewis Elseffer ; he is now 
a clerk at the headquarters of the Seventeenth Army Corps. 

'Sherman's army went into permanent camp in the vicinity of At- 
lanta for a much needed rest. The camps were in the timber and the 
men had pood water. — A. G. D. 



IN THE HOSPITAL AT ROME, GEORGIA 215 

(September, 1864) 

Wednesday, 14th— The troops that went from here after Gen- 
eral Wheeler into eastern Tennessee about a month ago, returned 
this morning, coming in on the train. They did not succeed in 
capturing Wheeler, but they had several skirmishes with him, in 
one of which it is reported that the notorious General Morgan 
was killed. 1 The expedition, made up of the Thirty-ninth Iowa 
and the Thirty-third Ilinois, experienced some hard marching. 
Dr. French, in charge of the hospital here and head physician 
of the sick wards, left today for Atlanta. 

Thursday, 15th— The day has been pleasant. It is reported 
that the rebel cavalry is in strong force in this vicinity and it 
is a good thing that the expedition returned when it did. 

Friday, 16th— There was quite an excitement early this morn- 
ing when it was learned that the rebel cavalry was indeed here. 
All the convalescents in the hospital were armed and ordered out 
into the rifle pits. Wheeler's cavalry were in plain view across 
the river north of town. They did not come across, however, as 
they discovered that our garrison was in shape to give them a 
warm reception. All is quiet at present. 

Saturday, i/th— The fight is all over and no one was hurt. 
The troops remained under arms all night to be in readiness for 
the rebels should they come across the river. Everything is 
quiet today. 

Sunday, 1S//1— Have had a week of very pleasant weather. 
Our store of supplies here is small, as the army is to evacuate the 
place as soon as possible. 2 

Monday, ipth— The sick in the hospitals are getting along 
well. Part of the men here received two months' pay today, 
$32.00. The pay of soldiers has been raised to $16.00 per month 
since May 1, 1864. 3 

Tuesday, 20th— Rain most all day. More of the wounded 
from the field hospital out east of town started home today on 
thirty-day furloughs. The sick here are being transferred to 




was 

than 

amoi 

men, ± waa uih-i^i £,i^c*i. 

sleep and rest. — A. G. D. 

3 The $32 00 I received was the first pay I got since leaving- Daven- 
port on Sunday, April 24, 1864.— A. G. D. 



216 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(September, 1864) 

temporary hospitals down town, while the remainder of the 
wounded from the field hospital are taking the places vacated by 
them. 

Wednesday, 21st — It rained all day. There is a rumor flying 
in the air here that the veterans of the Seventeenth Army Corps 
are to be mustered out of the service this fall, on account of not 
having been sworn in right. But we cannot yet believe such a 
report to be true ; that would be too good a thing all at once. 
We hear that all is quiet in the East, on the Rappahannock. 

Thursday, 22d — It is still raining, which makes the third day's 
rain. My ward was broken up today and the sick boys were 
transferred to Ward D in hospital number 4. We worked all 
afternoon making the ward ready for the wounded from the field 
hospital. I tried to get permission to return to my regiment to- 
day, but the doctor would not let me go. But all who are able, 
if not needed here, are to be sent to the front tomorrow. 

Friday, 23d — I helped to move the field hospital into town 
this morning. Most of the wounded able to go, have been sent 
home on thirty-day furloughs, and some of the sick will also go 
soon. There is no news from Grant's army. I received a letter 

this morning from Miss G . I received my knapsack and 

equipments and bidding good-by, left for Atlanta, Georgia. There 
was a squad of one hundred and seventy-five of us and we started 
at noon, going as far as Kingston, where we lay awaiting a train 
from the North. We left Kingston soon after dark. 



WITH THE ARMY— PURSUIT OF HOOD 217 

(September, 1864) 



Chapter XX. 

Rejoining the Eleventh Iowa at Atlanta and the Pursuit of 

Hood. September 24-November 6. 

Saturday, 24th — This morning found us lying at Acworth, 
Georgia, having arrived at about 1 1 o'clock in the night. There 
is an engine off the track about a mile east of town, and they are 
at work repairing the track and trying to get the engine back on. 
Eleven trains are waiting here, six going North and five South. 
We left Acworth at 2 p. m. and arrived at Big Shanty, where 
we again had to lie until night, waiting for the railroad to be re- 
paired. The rebels tore up the tracks to the west of Kene- 
saw mountain, this afternoon. They had a small battery with 
them and threw some shells at the trains, but with the exception 
of hitting three or four cars, did no damage. 

Sunday, 25th — We arrived in Atlanta about 9 o'clock last 
night. I stayed over night at the Soldiers' Home, in one of the 
vacant store buildings. I got my breakfast there and then with 
my knapsack on started for the headquarters of the Seventeenth 
Army Corps. From there I went to the headquarters of the 
Iowa Brigade and about noon joined my company. I was glad to 
see the boys. I received a large mail, one letter from father with 
$5.00 enclosed. Atlanta is quite a city, there being some fine build- 
ings, one of the finest being the railroad station. But the town is 
low and in the timber. 

Monday, 26th — The camp of the Seventeenth Army Corps is 
four miles south of town. We have a very nice camp here, the 
boys having built good bunks out of old lumber, in their wedge 
tents. Our tents had been stored at Huntsville, Alabama, and 
after the fall of Atlanta were sent forward. General Sherman's 
entire army is in camp here, and strongly fortified, just south of 
Atlanta. The army is to be paid off while in camp, the muster 
rolls having been sent in to the paymaster. All is quiet. 

Tuesday, 27th — General Sherman issued an order removing 
all citizens from Atlanta, on account of the scarcity of food. There 
is only one line of railroad open from the North to Atlanta, and 
the rebels are destroying almost every day some portions of the 



218 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(September, 1864) 

track, thus delaying trains. All who take the oath of allegiance 
are sent north beyond the Ohio river, while those who refuse to 
take it are to go farther south ; they can take their choice. Gen- 
eral Sherman has notified Hood to come with wagons to a station 
south of Atlanta and take care of the citizens, as our teams will 
haul them to that station. A great many are taking the oath and 
going North, but some think themselves too good to take the oath. 
Some of the women are very strong secessionists, and spurn the 
idea of taking the oath, declaring that they would rather die. 

Wednesday, 28th — Cloudy with some rain today. I went on 
picket this morning for the first time since coming back from the 
hospital. I was on a lookout post on the right of the picket lines 
of the brigade with four other men out of our brigade. All is 
quiet in front of the lines. I miss the four boys killed in battle 
while I was absent from the company — they were all good men, 
three of them being veterans. 

Thursday, 29th — We were relieved from picket this morning 
at 8 o'clock. The men of the Eleventh Iowa have had no pay 
since leaving Davenport early in the spring, and some of the boys 
are pretty short of money ; but they will get some soon, as the 
paymaster is expected to arrive any day. The rebels are becoming 
quite bold around Atlanta and along the railroads as far north as 
Nashville, Tennessee. It is reported that Hood is going to try 
to regain some lost ground. General Sherman has sent some of his 
troops north to reinforce the detachments guarding the railroads. 
There is no news from General Grant's army. 

Friday, 30th — The weather is quite pleasant. Nothing of any 
importance. I have made loans to the boys of my company as 
follows: Samuel Bain, $5.00; John Ford, $5.00; Samuel Met- 
calf, $5.00 ; Burtis Rumsey, $3.00 ; William Green, $3.00, and 
Monroe Blazer, $1.00. I also loaned $5.00 to John Hemphill of 
Company I of the Sixteenth Iowa. All loans are to be paid back 
on next pay day. I paid a debt of $5.00 to Thomas Armstrong. 
I bought a gold pen from Jason Sparks for $5.00. All is quiet 
on the post. 

OCTOBER, 1864. 

Saturday, 1st — This afternoon the Third and Fourth Divi- 
sions of the Seventeenth Corps started on an expedition toward 



WITH THE ARMY— PURSUIT OF HOOD 219 

(October, 1864) 

Fairburn, Georgia, where, it is reported, there is a large force of 
the rebels. We marched about seven miles and went into bivouac 
for the night. I received a letter from David Cole of the Twenty- 
fourth Iowa. His regiment is now in the Shenandoah valley, Vir- 
ginia. 

Sunday, 2d — We started again early this morning, and after 
marching about six miles, came upon the rebels' rear guard. 
We did some skirmishing with them and chased them about 
two miles, when we let them go and started back to Atlanta. 
The rebels tore up a portion of the railroad track between 
Marietta and Acworth, and delayed our trains. Our expedition 
was sent out for the purpose of cutting off their retreat from 
Marietta, but we were too late. After marching six miles on our 
return, we went into bivouac for the night. 

Monday, 3d — A heavy rain last night. We started early this 
morning and arrived in camp about 9 o'clock. This afternoon 
we received orders to prepare to march early tomorrow morning 
with fifteen days' rations. It is supposed that the expedition is 
going out towards Kenesaw mountain, as it is reported that Hood 
is moving north with the main part of his army, and that he is 
now in the vicinity of Kenesaw. The Fourteenth, Fifteenth and 
Seventeenth Corps are to move north, while the Twentieth and 
Twenty-third are to remain here at Atlanta. News came today 
that General Grant is within five miles of Richmond and that he 
has whipped the rebels at every point. 

Tuesday, 4th — Rain early this morning. We stored away our 
tents in Atlanta and left in light marching order. The three 
corps started out on different roads, and the roads being muddy 
it made hard marching. We bivouacked for the night four miles 
west of Marietta, Georgia. The railroad bridge across the Talla- 
hassee river here was partially destroyed by the rebels. They 
built a raft of logs and floated it down against the bridge, knock- 
ing out two piers. No news from the East. 

Wednesday, 5th — The weather is pleasant. We were on the 
move early this morning, the Seventeenth and Fifteenth Corps 
marched out to the south of Kenesaw mountain, where we went 
into camp about noon. We lay here the rest of the day. The 
rebels, it is reported, are in force on Lost mountain. All is quiet. 



220 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(October, 1864) 

Thursday, 6th — It rained nearly all day. We lay in bivouac 
all day, resting. We hear that Sherman with a part of his force 
is trying to surround the rebels in the vicinity of Lost mountain. 
The rebels left the railroad after tearing up about fifteen miles 
of track, burning the ties and twisting the rails. But the engi- 
neers will have it repaired in a few days, as there are thousands 
of trees along the way just the size for railroad ties. All is quiet 
along the line. 

Friday, yth — Weather clear and pleasant. Our division, now 
the Fourth of the Seventeenth Army Corps, started out to recon- 
noiter. We went in light marching order without teams or ar- 
tillery and marching out about twenty miles to the southwest of 
Marietta came upon the rebels' pickets, at a place called Powder 
Springs. We drove them about four miles to the south, they not 
caring for a fight, and camped for the night. Our division was 
sent to find out whether or not the rebels are out in force along 
this road. 

Saturday, 8th — We started back early this morning for Mari- 
etta and arrived in camp about noon. I was sent out on picket 
duty this afternoon. The entire Fifteenth Corps left on an ex- 
pedition this afternoon, but their destination is not known. The 
rebels left Lost mountain, retreating to Dallas, Georgia. Our 
men captured some of their wagon trains. All is quiet again. 
No news from the North. Camp Eleventh Iowa, Marietta, Geor- 
gia. 

Sunday, Qth — We were routed early this morning and left for 
Big Shanty, and arriving there in the afternoon went into bivouac. 
The Fifteenth and Seventeenth Army Corps were sent here to 
put the railroad track in repair. The rebels tore up about nine 
miles of track, burning the ties and twisting the rails. The engi- 
neers have to get out new ties and large details of our men are 
put to work cutting down trees and hewing the ties. It is re- 
ported that the rebels are going to the North. 

Monday, 10th — A large detail from our regiment was put to 
work on the railroad. Three of us, Hiram Frank, John D. Moore 
and I, took French leave this afternoon and climbed to the top 
of Kenesaw mountain. It is a grand view from the mountain, 
but we had to pay for our sightseeing, for when we got back to 
camp we found that our command had left. They were ordered 



WITH THE ARMY— PURSUIT OF HOOD 221 

(October, 1864) 

to go on the double-quick to Altoona, Georgia, and we had to run 
about four miles before we caught up with them. Our bunk- 
mates were carrying our knapsacks, haversacks, canteens and 
rifles, with all accouterments, and they were about as thankful 
as we were when we caught up with them. 1 

Tuesday, nth — The weather has been cool and pleasant for 
several days. Our entire corps started early this morning at 2 
o'clock, going as we suppose, to Kingston. We marched through 
to Cartersville, where we went into camp for the night. 

We hear that there was a hard fight at Altoona yesterday 
with fearful loss of life on both sides, but Hood had to give up 
trying to capture the place. It is reported that Hood is now 
moving toward Rome, Georgia. 

Wednesday, 12th — We started early this morning and marched 
to within five miles of Rome by midnight, when we went into 
bivouac for the rest of the night. We had to move very slow- 
ly on account of the teams giving out. Our horses and mules 
are getting very thin. This is because of the scarcity of forage, 
and then, too, the roads are very rough, which made it hard on 
them. Hood's force is thought to be about thirty thousand, while 
our army numbers fifty thousand men, of all arms, and the men 
are in fine shape. We received a large mail at Kingston, when 
passing through there this evening. 

Thursday, ijth — We left our teams behind at Kingston and 
they did not catch up with us till this morning. We lay here in 
camp all day. About sundown we received marching orders and 
our division started for Adairsville, some fifteen miles distant from 
Rome. We left our teams and all artillery behind and marching 
through on a by-road, reached Adairsville by midnight. 

Friday, 14th — At Adairsville we took a train composed of box 
cars and left for Resaca, where we arrived about 4 o'clock this 
morning. We at once left the cars and formed a line of battle. 
Here we lay all day. The remainder of our corps soon arrived, 
and later the Fourteenth Army Corps came up. The first division 
of our corps was sent out after the rebels. They found them on 
the railroad about six miles out between Resaca and Dalton, where 

J General Corse had flagged Sherman for reinforcements, as Hood 
was trying to capture the place. Our army had about one million rations 
stored at Altoona. Sherman flagged: "Hold the fort; I am coming," 
and General Corse answered back that he'd hold the fort to the death 
if need be. — A. G. D. 



222 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(October, 1864) 

they already had destroyed about fifteen miles of track. Our 
troops engaged in a skirmish there in which the Seventeenth Iowa 
were taken prisoners, but were at once paroled. It is reported 
that the commander of the post at Dalton surrendered the place 
without firing a gun. It is thought that the rebels are making for 
the mountains, and if they succeed in getting there before we do, 
it will be hard to trap them, as they are in their own country and 
among friends. 

Saturday, ijtJi — We left Resaca early this morning, going out 
after the rebels whom we found at the south entrance of Snake 
Creek Gap. Here we formed a line of battle and skirmishing 
commenced. A small force of the rebels was behind some old 
works which our men had built last spring while advancing on 
Resaca. Finally two regiments of the Third Division made a 
charge upon them and routed them. Our loss was about fifty 
killed and wounded. The rebels then fell back through the pass, 
blockading it for about eight miles, by felling trees across the 
road. Our corps did not succeed in getting through the pass 
until about dark, and the Fifteenth Army Corps was still in our 
rear. 

Sunday, 16th — We left bivouac early this morning and 
marched eight miles. We passed through Gooseneck Gap, about 
four miles long and quite narrow. The rebels did not take time 
to block this gap. The Fifteenth Corps being in the advance, 
came upon the rebels and engaged them in some skirmishing. 
The rebels are still falling back to the north. We are now in a 
mountainous country, and thinly settled, as it is so rough and 
rocky. The timber here is of chestnut and all varieties of oak. 

Monday, ljth — We lay in bivouac all day, but at dark moved 
on about four miles and again went into bivouac. The weather 
has been very pleasant for some days. The muster rolls of the 
non-veterans of our regiment were made out today. They re- 
ceived their discharge papers, as their three years' service will be 
up tomorrow. There are twelve from our company : Albert 
Allee. John L. Ayers, John Ford, George Eicher, Padenarin 
McCarty, Ebenezer Rankin, George Mooney, Hugh C. McBirney. 
Joseph McKibben, Thomas R. McConnoll, Samuel Metcalf and 
Albert B. Stiles. 



WITH THE ARMY— PURSUIT OF HOOD 223 

(October, 1864) 

Tuesday, 18th — We started early this morning and reached 
Lafayette at 9 o'clock. We lay there for two hours when we 
took up our march for Summerville, Georgia, and went into 
bivouac within four miles of the town. The rebels are still mov- 
ing to the north through the Blue mountains. We had two days' 
rations left in our haversacks this morning, when we received or- 
ders from the quartermaster that they would have to run us four 
days, as we could not draw any before that time. No news from 
the Eastern army. 

Wednesday, igtJi — We entered Summerville at 10 o'clock and 
remained there till noon, when we started for Galesville, Ala- 
bama. After marching fifteen miles, we went into bivouac on 
the banks of the Ogeechee river. All is quiet in front. 
The valleys through which we are marching are quite rich and 
there are some fine plantations which afford good forage. It is 
fortunate for us, as we have to get most of our living that way 
while on this expedition. Sweet potatoes are plentiful and then 
we also get some fresh pork. 

Thursday, 20th — The same as ever. We marched twelve 
miles and went into camp near Galesville, Alabama. All of the 
forces of General Sherman which have been after Hood, came 
together at this place by different roads, and are now in bivouac. 
General Hardie of Hood's army is in front of us with his corps 
and still retreating. It is fine marching weather. 

Friday, 21st — The Fourth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, Seventeenth 
and Twenty-third Army Corps have concentrated here and are in 
bivouac. Foraging parties are sent out from the different corps, 
as there are some rich plantations in this section. Our corps 
moved camp today about four miles. All is quiet in the front. 
The report is that the rebels are retreating toward the Blue moun- 
tains. 

Saturday, 22d — We lay in camp all day for the purpose of 
resting. But it appears to the rank and file of the men that Sher- 
man must have given up trying to catch Hood, or else we would 
not remain so long at one place. The supply trains were all sent 
back to the main railroad line for provisions. I went out on 
picket this morning. The non-veterans of the Eleventh and Thir- 
teenth Iowa Regiments were mustered out this morning, and left 
for Chattanooga, from which place they will start for home. All 



224 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(October, 1864) 

of the non-veteran officers from each regiment, except two or 
three, went out with the privates. It is fine weather for march- 
ing - . No news from the Eastern army. 

Sunday, 23d — The weather is getting pretty cool mornings, 
but we have plenty of wood to build fires in front of our shacks. 
All is quiet in the front. I was relieved from picket this morn- 
ing. We had company inspection this evening. 

Monday, 24th — Still lying in camp and all is quiet at the front. 
Large foraging parties are being sent out for food for the men 
and feed for the horses and mules. The valleys in this part of 
the country are thickly settled, but not more than half of the plan- 
tations have been cultivated this past season, as the negroes were 
taken south by their masters to keep them from falling into the 
hands of the "Yanks," and also to help build fortifications. The 
plantations that have been farmed were put mostly in wheat and 
corn. There are some large fields of corn which come in very 
handy for our army at this time. 

Tuesday, 23th — Still lying in camp. The supply train of the 
Fifteenth Army Corps returned with rations late this evening, but 
the supply train of the Seventeenth Corps has not yet come in. 
It is reported that the army of the Tennessee is going on a 
march of four hundred miles. The route is supposed to be down 
through the States of Alabama and Mississippi and then up 
through to Memphis, Tennessee. 1 We are to take rations for 
thirty days and clothing for sixty days. The armies of the Ohio 
and of the Cumberland, it is said, are to garrison Atlanta'- and 
also to hold the railroad between Atlanta and Nashville. The 
Twenty-third Army Corps moved out today to Cedar Bluffs. 

IVednesday, 26th — The weather is quite pleasant. Nothing of 
importance. Still in camp. Our work, outside of regular picket 
duty, is very light here. 

Thursday, 2jth — Still lying in camp, and all is quiet. 

Friday, 28th — Weather still pleasant. The Seventeenth Army 
Corps was reviewed by General Mower. We were out in full 
dress with knapsacks, haversacks and canteens on. There is to 
be only one battery to each division of the Fourteenth, Fifteenth, 

'This was the first hint at "marching; through Georgia," but the 
camp rumor had it Alabama and Mississippi. — Ed. 

2 \Ve learned later that it was Chattanooga instead of Atlanta, and 
that the two armies were to be united under the command of General 
Thomas. — A. G. D. 



WITH THE ARMY— PURSUIT OF HOOD 225 

(October, 1864) 

Seventeenth and Twentieth Army Corps. The remainder of the 
artillery, with all defective wagons, horses and mules, is being 
sent back to Chattanooga. All things quiet in camp. We re- 
ceived orders to be ready to march in the morning at daylight. 

Saturday, 29th — We were routed out at 2 o'clock this morn- 
ing and at daybreak took up our march. We covered fifteen 
miles and went into bivouac near Spring creek. We reached 
Cedar Bluffs by 10 o'clock, where the Fifteenth Army Corps 
passed us, turning on a road to the right. About noon we crossed 
the Coosa river on a pontoon bridge and marched all the after- 
noon through a miserable swamp. The country is heavily tim- 
bered with white oak, and is thinly settled. 

Sunday, 30th — We started early this morning and marched 
fifteen miles. We bivouacked for the night near Cave Springs. 
Large foraging parties were sent out which brought in great 
quantities of provisions and feed, this section not having been 
overrun by our armies. Cave Spring is a little village sixteen 
miles southwest of Rome, Georgia. The citizens all left their 
homes on the approach of our army. I was detailed on picket 
duty. All is quiet. 

Monday, 31st — We lay in bivouac all day, this being a regu- 
lar muster day, and the army w T as mustered. Foraging parties 
were again sent out. I was on picket continuously for twenty- 
four hours. 

NOVEMBER, 1864. 

Tuesday, 1st — We started early this morning and marched 
through to Cedartown and went into bivouac for the night. I 
was taken sick this morning and had to ride all day in the am- 
bulance. This was my first experience in the ambulance. 

Wednesday, 2d — We started early this morning and after 
marching fifteen miles went into bivouac near Van Wert, Geor- 
gia. It rained all day, and the roads became so slippery that it 
made hard marching. Some of the men gave out and had to 
be hauled. 

Thursday, 3d — Still raining. Our march today covered six- 
teen miles and the troops are very much fatigued. We camped 
for the night in Dallas, Georgia, one division, the Fourth, going 



226 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(November, 1864) 

into vacant houses and buildings in the town. The citizens all 
left the place upon our approach. There had been a cotton mill 
here, but it was closed down last summer when the Yankees were 
besieging Atlanta. 

Friday, 4th — Left Dallas this morning, marched ten miles, and 
went into camp near Lost mountain. I went out with a foraging 
party from our regiment. We brought in five head of cattle and 
seven hogs, and also some cane molasses and corn meal. We also 
searched for cabbage, but the negroes did not know what we 
meant ; they said that they had never seen any such thing grow- 
ing. We found very few citizens at home, mostly poor families 
at that ; but the men were away in the rebel army. 

Saturday, jth — We left our fires early this morning and 
marching toward Marietta, went into bivouac for the remainder 
of the day and night within five miles of the town. Captain An- 
derson of Company A, Eleventh Iowa, arrived from Iowa this 
evening with one hundred and fifty conscripts for our regiment 
to serve one year. They are a fine lot of men to be conscripts ; 
however, only half of them were drafted, the others being sub- 
stitutes, each receiving from $150 to $800. 

Sunday, 6th — Our division was moved in close to town today 
and went into camp. We received orders to remain here a few 
days, to draw clothing and receive our pay. This was glorious 
news. We pulled down vacant houses and proceeded to build 
bunks and "ranches" with the lumber, covering them with our 
rubber ponchos. The Sixteenth Iowa went out with the regiment- 
al teams for forage. Nine trains came in over the railroad from 
the north, loaded with provisions for the army stationed at the 
different points along the line, and at Atlanta. Things are quite 
lively in town today. 



MARCHING THROUGH GEORGIA 227 

(November, 1864) 



Chapter XXI. 
Marching Through Georgia. Capture of Savannah. Novem- 
ber 7, 1864-January 2, 1865. 

Monday, yth — It is cloudy and quite cool. The Eleventh 
Iowa received six months' pay this afternoon, besides another in- 
stallment of the bounty. I got $148.00 in pay and $100.00 of 
bounty money. Our army is preparing to evacuate Atlanta. The 
general quartermaster is loading every train going north with the 
surplus commissariat and all extra army baggage. It is reported 
that our army is going to fall back as far as Chattanooga, and that 
we are to destroy the railroad as we go. There is a report that the 
army of the Tennessee is going on a long expedition further 
south. 1 

Tuesday, 8th — Still in camp. Some rain today. Ten train 
loads of army supplies left for the North. A great many refu- 
gees are being sent north, as it will be impossible for them to 
make a living down here during the coming winter. This 
is election day and everything is very quiet in camp, as 
political speeches are not allowed in the army. The election went 
off fine. Our regiment is strong for Old Abraham — three hundred 
and fourteen votes for Lincoln and forty-two for McClellan. 
I bought a watch of John Aubin for $18.50. Some of the boys 
are having lively times down town ; they are going in on their 
nerves, to make up for lost time. 

Wednesday, gth — It is still raining. I went out on picket this 
morning. We received orders to be ready to move at a moment's 
notice, for the purpose of tearing up the railroad tracks. Citizens 
all around Atlanta, hearing that the Yankees are going to leave the 
place, are coming in larger numbers to go North. Women leave 
their homes and all they have, and with their children walk a dis- 
tance of thirty miles, for the sake of getting to the North. Where 
both armies have been ravaging the country, the people are des- 
titute — haven't anything to eat — and therefore they have to leave 
their homes. No new T s from the North. 

ir rhis was through Georgia, but as yet the men knew nothing" def- 
inite. — Ed. 



228 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(November, 1864) 

Thursday, ioth — All is quiet in camp. I borrowed $25.00 
from William Barrett until next pay day. Several trains came 
in from the North this morning. We received a large mail. 
All men unable to stand the march on our Southern expedi- 
tion are being sent North. Each regiment will be allowed but 
one wagon, and the number of headquarters wagons will be great- 
ly reduced. Every man in the ranks will have to carry his shel- 
ter tent. 

Friday, nth — All is quiet in camp. We have company drill 
twice a day now for the purpose of drilling our conscripts. We 
received orders that the last mail would leave for the North to- 
morrow morning and that all who wanted to write farewell let- 
ters home would have to attend to it before that time. The rebel 
cavalry, about three thousand strong, made a raid on our forces 
at Atlanta, but were repulsed with heavy loss, for what little they 
gained. 

Saturday, 12th — Our corps marched out on the railroad be- 
tween Marietta and Big Shanty and tore it up, burning all the 
ties and bending the irons. The iron rails were thrown into the 
fires and then twisted up. The last train went North about noon, 
and no more mail will be sent out from this part of the army for 
forty days. The telegraph lines between Atlanta and the North 
were cut soon after the last train left. The railroad from Dalton 
south, wherever Sherman's army goes, is to be destroyed and all 
stations and public buildings burned. 

Sunday, 13th — We started early this morning for Atlanta and 
after marching twenty miles went into camp for the night. A 
detachment of the Twentieth Army Corps is stationed at the rail- 
road bridge crossing the Chattahoochee river. They will soon 
destroy the bridge, and also the track clear to Atlanta. All is 
quiet in the front. We burned everything in our camp yesterday 
that we did not need, and it seems that everything in sight is being 
burned. Every man seems to think he has a free hand to touch 
the match. The nice little town of Marietta which we left behind 
this morning will doubtless be burned before the last of Sherman's 
army leaves the place. 

Monday, 14th — This morning was cool and pleasant. We 
started early and marched five miles, going into camp a mile south 
of Atlanta. We tore up the railroad tracks through Atlanta and 



MARCHING THROUGH GEORGIA 229 

(November. 1864) 

burned all the public buildings. There was a fine large station 
here, and a splendid engine house, but both were burned. Very 
few citizens are left in Atlanta. The Fourteenth, Fifteenth, Sev- 
enteenth and Twentieth Army Corps are in bivouac in the vicinity 
of Atlanta. They are concentrating here for the purpose of 
making a grand raid down South. We are to take forty days' ra- 
tions with us, consisting of hardtack, coffee, sugar, salt and pep- 
per, candles and soap, but we are to forage for meat as we march 
through the country. All is quiet. 

Tuesday, 15th — Started early this morning for the Southern 
coast, somewhere, and we don't care, so long as Sherman is lead- 
ing us. The Army of the Tennessee forms the right, while the 
Army of the Cumberland is moving off in the direction of Mil- 
ledgeville. Georgia. There are about sixty thousand men of all 
arms, and they are in fine spirits and well clothed for the cam- 
paign. The roads are good and the weather fine for marching. 
We went into bivouac for the night about twelve miles from At- 
lanta. The country is very thinly settled and there is nothing to 
forage. All is quiet at the front — none of the rebels in sight. 

Wednesday, 16th — Reveille sounded early this morning, and 
after marching twenty-five miles we went into bivouac tired and 
worn. Our division marched all day over a by-road on the in- 
side of the right wing, and although the country was heavily 
timbered, yet we had a good road. We passed by some fine plan- 
tations, well improved with some good buildings. The Four- 
teenth and Twentieth Corps form the left wing and the Fifteenth 
and Seventeenth the right, both flanks being covered by the cav- 
alry. There was some skirmishing off on our right in front of 
the Fifteenth Corps, but all is quiet in our front. 

Thursday, 17th — We broke camp at 5 o'clock, marched eight- 
een miles, and went into bivouac for the night. Our regiment 
was train guard and the Sixteenth Iowa was rear guard of our 
brigade. We marched through some fine country today, and 
though heavily timbered, it is well improved. It is good country 
for foraging. We found plenty of fresh pork and all the sweet 
potatoes we could carry. The weather is delightful and there 
is no rebel in our front yet. 

Friday, 18th — We were on the road by 8 o'clock and after 
marching ten miles, lay by until 10 p. m., when we were ordered 



230 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(November, 1864) 

to fall in again. After an hour's march we came to the Ockmul- 
gee river, which we crossed by pontoons at Oekmulgee Mills. The 
entire Seventeenth Corps came together again here and at I 
o'clock in the night we went into bivouac on the east side of the 
river. The Fifteenth Corps crossed the river by the same 
pontoon bridge. There is fine water power here and there are 
large mills. The country is very rough. 

Saturday, igth — There was some rain last night and the roads 
today are very slippery, which as the country is so hilly, makes 
difficult marching. We marched fifteen miles and went into 
bivouac. Our division was in the rear of the Seventeenth Corps, 
the infantry marching at one side of the road so that the artil- 
lery and wagon trains could move together and all go into bivouac 
earlier and at the same time. The country is thickly settled. The 
citizens on the approach of our army left their homes and fled to 
Macon. We passed through Hillsboro at 10 a. m., and the town 
being deserted, many of the vacant houses were burned by our 
men. We heard the sound of cannon off to our right in the di- 
rection of Macon. 

Sunday, 20th — It is still raining and the roads have become 
so muddy that it is impossible for the artillery to keep up with 
the infantry. There are some well-improved plantations along 
the way which have had good crops this season and we find plenty 
of sweet potatoes and fresh pork. We are on short rations now 
and therefore have to forage a great deal. We also find enough 
forage for the horses and mules in the command. 

Monday, 21st — We started on our march this morning in a 
rain which continued all day. We marched fifteen miles and 
went into camp. The artillery have the preference of the road 
and because of the muddy roads our division wagon train could 
not keep up. Our regiment was on train guard. We corralled 
the wagons four miles in the rear, where the First Division of the 
Seventeenth Corps went into bivouac, to safeguard the train, 
since the rebels' cavalry have appeared both in front and in the 
rear. 

Tuesday, 22d — The weather has turned cold. We left our 
bivouac early this morning with the wagon train and at 10 o'clock 
caught up with our division at Gordon, where they were in camp 



MARCHING THROUGH GEORGIA 231 

(November, 1864) 

last night. Gordon is fifteen miles from Milledgeville and is the 
junction of the railroad running from there to Savannah. Gen- 
eral Sherman with the left wing of our army passed through here 
ahead of us, remaining in the town three or four days. We 
left Gordon about noon and marched ten miles on a by- 
road off to the right of our corps, going into bivouac near Irwin- 
ton, the county seat of Wilkinson county. This is a nice little 
town, but like all other places we passed through, is deserted, the 
citizens running away on the approach of our army, and leaving 
everything with the negroes. All is quiet at the front. 

Wednesday, 23d— We started at 7 a. m. and marched twelve 
miles, when we bivouacked for the night. It is reported that a 
force of two thousand rebels is in our front beyond the Oco- 
nee river, and that there has been some skirmishing. We 
crossed the Savannah railroad here at Station No. 15. This station 
was burned last July by General Stoneman in his raid toward Ma- 
con, Georgia. The country is very heavily timbered, mostly pitch 
pine, but there are some very nice plantations. The negroes have 
all been run off to keep them from falling into the hands of our 
army. We are now on three-fifths rations and are foraging for 
meat. 

Thursday, 24th— -We lay in camp all day. The rebels are 
still in our front, and there is some cannonading off on our left 
where the Fourteenth and Twentieth Corps are on the move and 
destroying property. The Seventeenth Corps burned all the rail- 
road property from Gordon down to the Oconee river. The first 
brigade of our division destroyed the railroad for some miles in 
this locality. The Iowa Brigade went out on the railroad this 
morning and worked for two hours. There was some skirmish- 
ing in our front and to our right. Our division supply train is 
lying at Station No. 15, the Fifteenth Iowa acting as train guard. 
We received orders to march in the morning at 5 o'clock. 

Friday, 25th — Our brigade marched out early this morning 
and relieved the First Brigade at the railroad bridge across the 
Oconee river, the rebels being just beyond. We burned the 
bridge and after waiting there a short time, got orders to 
march back to Toomsboro, which place we reached by 7 p. m. 
From there we started for Hawkins Ford, some ten miles dis- 



232 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(November, 1864) 

tant, and after marching six miles went into bivouac. The Fif- 
teenth Corps came in on the same road in order to cross the river 
by our pontoon bridge, which the engineers commenced to build 
late in the evening, after our men had driven the rebels from 
the river — they had to leave or be taken prisoners. 

Saturday, 26th — The weather is cool but quite pleasant. We 
lay in camp awaiting the completion of the pontoon bridge. At 
10 o'clock we began our march and by 3 in the afternoon both 
corps had crossed the river. The Fifteenth Corps had an engage- 
ment with the rebels on the 226. inst. near Macon, and after the 
fight the rebels fell back and scattered, leaving their dead and 
wounded on the field. Their loss was about one thousand, while 
ours was only five hundred. Their force was mainly state militia 
and came out from town to attack our approaching army. It 
is reported that the rebels are concentrating some fifty miles ahead 
of us and are strongly fortifying themselves on the Ogeechee 
river. We are on two-thirds rations, but still we have plenty to 
eat. 

Sunday, 27th — We started at 8 o'clock this morning, marched 
eight miles, and went into camp for the remainder of the day. 
On our march this forenoon our division, the Third, destroyed 
ten miles of the railroad east of the Oconee river. The Fifteenth 
Corps is off on our right about two miles, while the Fourteenth 
and the Twentieth with Kilpatrick's cavalry are off on the left, 
out toward Augusta, Georgia. All is quiet in front. This is a 
very fine country, thickly settled and with some very nice farms, 
though the soil is very sandy and there is considerable pine timber. 

Monday, 28th — We started at 7 o'clock this morning, marched 
fifteen miles, and went into camp at 5 p. m. Our division took 
up the rear on our march today and we had good roads for march- 
ing, with the exception of a small swamp which lay in our path. 
This is a fine country and there is plenty of forage. All is quiet 
in front, the rebels retreating without putting up a fight. 1 

l Almost every day after leaving- Atlanta large numbers of negroes, 
women, children and old men, came, some of them walking miles, to see 
the Yankees go by. The soldiers in the ranks would engage them in con- 
versation and the odd remarks the negroes would make were often quite 
amusing. They were asked many questions, one as a joke, a favorite 
one with the boys, was asking the nice mulatto girls to marry them; the 
answer invariably would be in the affirmative. These incidents as well 
as others made a change, and broke the monotony of our long, weary 
marches. — A. G. D. 



MARCHING THROUGH GEORGIA 233 

(November, 1864) 

Tuesday, 29th — We left bivouac at 8 a. m. and marched twen- 
ty miles today, going into camp about dark. The Eleventh Iowa 
acted as rear guard. We had good roads, there being no hills. 
The country is very flat and heavily timbered and the soil is 
sandy, mixed with clay. We are on two-fifths rations now, but 
the country still affords additional rations, such as potatoes and 
pork. Our general direction is southeast on the west side of the 
Savannah and Macon railroad. All is quiet in front. 

Wednesday, 30th — Weather pleasant. We broke camp at 8 
o'clock and covered only ten miles by the close of the whole day's 
march, when we went into bivouac on the banks of the Ogeechee 
river. We had a bad road, it being almost one continuous swamp. 
Now and then there was a small farm with a log hut occupied 
by a poor woman and children, all the men and larger boys being 
off with the army. 1 All is quiet in the front, but the rebels keep 
close on our rear. It is reported that General Wheeler with his 
cavalry is in our rear. The boys all declare that it's the safest 
place for him to be, just so he doesn't get too close. This 
is the sixteenth day out from Atlanta and we have been 
on the march part of the time both day and night. We have 
had but little fighting, but we have destroyed one thousand miles 
of railroad and burned millions of dollars' worth of other prop- 
erty. Camp in the swamps of Georgia. 

DECEMBER, 1864. 

Thursday, 1st — A heavy fog this morning. Our division 
crossed the Ogeechee river early this morning, the other two di- 
visions of the corps having crossed last night. We crossed near 
Benton Station on the Savannah railroad. Our brigade destroyed 
the railroad this forenoon all the way from Benton Station north 
to Sebastopol, on the road running to Augusta. Our entire corps 
destroyed about fifteen miles of railroad. We left Sebastopol 
about noon, and after marching eight miles through swamps, 
went into bivouac at dark. All is quiet. 

Friday, 2d — W r e marched eleven miles today and went into 
bivouac after dark near the town of Millen. We passed through 

a It has been truly said that Governor Brown of Georgia robbed the 
cradle and the grave, forcing all the boys and old men into the army 
at the time of their defense of Macon, where they were defeated and 
scattered by our Fifteenth Army Corps on November 22, 1864. — A. G. D. 



234 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(December, 1864) 

some fine country with very large plantations. We crossed the 
east prong of the Ogeechee river about dusk, the infantry cross- 
ing over the railroad bridge and the artillery and teams by pon- 
toon bridge. Millen is on the bank of this river and is a junc- 
tion of the railroad running between Augusta and Savannah. 
We demolished the railroad all along the line. 

Saturday, jd — We started off on our railroad destroying this 
morning at 7 o'clock. Our corps destroyed about ten miles of 
road, from Millen down to Station No. 70, where we went into 
camp for the night. The Fourteenth and Twentieth Corps are 
off on our left, destroying the railroad from Millen toward Au- 
gusta. At Millen there was located one of those hell-holes, a rebel 
prison, where the rebels kept about thirteen hundred of our men 
as prisoners. They rushed them off on the train for Charleston, 
South Carolina, just before our army arrived. I never saw a 
feed-yard looking so filthy and forsaken as this pen. 1 We burned 
everything here that a match would ignite. 

Sunday, 4th — Rain last night. The First and Third Divisions 
and the First Brigade of the Fourth Division destroyed the rail- 
road this forenoon for a distance of ten miles. The Iowa Bri- 
gade acted as train guard. We covered fifteen miles today and 
went into bivouac near Cameron Station. For the last two or 
three days, we marched through fine country, though in some 
places it is very sandy and the land is heavily timbered with pine. 
The soil is very sandy, but the higher land is well improved and 
thickly settled. Good crops were raised the past season, the work 
having been done by old men and negro women. Most of the 
citizens have left their homes. 

Monday, 5th — We started out at 6 o'clock this morning, and 
by 1 1 our corps had destroyed twelve miles of railroad. We then 
left the railroad and marching ten miles, over very fine roads, 
went into camp near Oliver Station. A force of eight thousand 
rebels left Oliver this morning for Savannah. They came 
into the town last night and throwing up earthworks made prep- 
arations for a fight, but this morning they concluded that they 
had better move on, or they would get hurt, and the infantry left 
without firing a gun. Our cavalry had a little skirmish with 

1 The treatment which our soldiers received in the Confederate pris- 
ons is the one dark, damnable stain that the South of that time will al- 
ways have to carrv. The North can forgive, but it cannot forget. — A. 
G. D. 



MARCHING THROUGH GEORGIA 235 

(December, 1864) 

them this morning. The Fifteenth Army Corps is on the west 
side of the Ogeechee river, but in advance of us, and perhaps 
the rebels were fearful of being cut off from Savannah. 

Tuesday, 6th — We lay in camp all day. The day was spent 
in washing, cleaning and mending our clothes. The long march 
is beginning to tell on our clothing and shoes. My shoes are 
whole yet, but owing to so much sand, and wading through wa- 
ter, my feet are sore. My right foot is worn through on the bot- 
tom, and my toes are wet with blood every day. We are now 
within forty-five miles of Savannah, Georgia, and about ninety 
miles from Charleston, South Carolina. We can hear the large 
guns roaring from both places. The rebels are still retreating 
before us without much fighting. We are still in a rich country 
for foraging. Each regiment sends out its foraging party and 
we have plenty of sweet potatoes and fresh pork. We will have 
better roads now for marching as we approach Savannah. All is 
quiet in the rear of the army. 

Wednesday, /th — It rained all forenoon today, but because of 
the sand our road did not get muddy. We started at 7 this morn- 
ing and after stepping off fifteen miles by 4 o'clock, we went into 
camp for the night. Our regiment led the advance of our corps. 
The rebels blocked our road by felling trees at the entrance to 
every swamp, thus delaying our march, since there were a good 
many swamps to cross. We had to build four or five small 
bridges, and also had to do some corduroy work. The First Mich- 
igan Engineers in advance of us had charge of the work. 

Thursday, 8th — We left bivouac at 8 o'clock this morning, but 
owing to the roads, we moved very slowly, making only twelve 
miles before going into camp. Just before our regiment started 
into bivouac, we were ordered to stack arms and help our teams 
across a narrow swamp. We went about a half mile for rails, 
each man carrying from two to four, to corduroy the road so 
that the artillery and wagons could cross. Our cavalry had a 
skirmish with the rebels at noon today, when passing through 
Marlow Station, and captured a train of cars by cutting the rail- 
road before the rebels could get the train past the station. We 
drew two days' rations today, with orders to make them last rive 
days. 

Friday, gth — It is cloudy with a strong northeast wind. We 



236 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(December. 1864) 

started early again this morning and after laying off ten miles 
went into bivouac. The Twenty-fifth New Jersey was on the 
skirmish line today, skirmishing commencing at 10 o'clock and 
continuing till dark. They lost four men killed and fifteen wound- 
ed. The First Division of our corps was in the front, and their 
quartermaster was killed by a ten-pound solid shot fired from a 
small cannon on a flat car which the rebels ran up and down the 
railroad. Our way today was through one continuous swamp, but 
we had a fine road, a high causeway which runs to Savannah. Our 
camp tonight lies within ten miles of Savannah. 

Saturday, ioth — We broke camp at 6 o'clock this morning and 
moved forward five miles, driving the rebels all the way. Our 
division was in the advance in line of battle and drove the rebels 
back inside their main works. There was some heavy skirmish- 
ing and we had to throw up breastworks. Our loss during the 
day was fifteen in killed and wounded. We had four men 
wounded by the explosion of torpedoes which the rebels had 
buried in the road. General Sherman was riding with 
our column, and when informed of what had taken place, ordered 
that the prisoners of our division be placed in front to pass over 
the road first. The prisoners requested that one of their number 
be permitted to return to their headquarters to inform their com- 
mander of the peril in which they were placed. This was granted 
and there were no more torpedoes planted in the road after that. 
The prisoners dug up five torpedoes for us. 

Sunday, nth — The Twentieth Corps relieved our corps this 
morning and we moved to the right about five miles, taking the 
position occupied by the Fifteenth Corps, which moved still far- 
ther around to the right. We went into camp about 4 o'clock, 
and the Eleventh Iowa was sent out on the skirmish line, where 
we have good works built by the Fifteenth Corps. Skirmishing 
is not very brisk because of the wide swamp between us and the 
rebels. We are still on two-fifths rations and there is nothing 
to forage. 

Monday, 12th — Our regiment was withdrawn from the rifle 
pits, the rebels having left during the night, and with our entire 
corps we moved about five miles to the right. Our division 
stacked arms until 3 p. m. when we fell in and marched two miles 
farther and again stacked arms. We now had to move over a 



MARCHING THROUGH GEORGIA 237 

(December, 1864) 

two-mile causeway from ten to thirty feet high, but the rebels 
having planted batteries within range of the road, we waited to 
move after dark. Our teams were all sent around about fifteen 
miles. We ran the blockade under cover of the night, the rebels 
opening their batteries on us, without doing any damage. We 
went into camp about 8 o'clock. 

Tuesday, 13th — We lay in bivouac all day. Our rations ran 
out today and no more can be issued until we open up communi- 
cations with the fleet. To do that we shall have to open a way 
to the coast. Our men have foraged everything to be found. 
The only thing that we can get now is rice, of which there is a 
great deal in stacks, besides thousands of bushels threshed out, 
but not hulled, and stored away in granaries. The Thirty-second 
Illinois went with a train from our brigade to forage. 
Fort McAllister was captured late this afternoon by a detach- 
ment of the Fifteenth Corps, General Hazen's Division. Our 
cracker line is open once more and there is great cheering in 
camp over the news. 

Wednesday, 14th — The capture of Fort McAllister gives us 
our first communication with the North since the telegraph wires 
were cut at Marietta, Georgia, on the 12th of November. We 
have no rations yet, but will have crackers as soon as our men 
can remove the torpedoes from the Ogeechee river, which is 
thickly laid with them ; then the transports can land provisions. 
There is great rejoicing in camp, as we have nothing left but 
unhulled rice. This we hull by placing a handful in our haver- 
sacks which we lay on logs and pound with our bayonets. Then 
we pour the contents from hand to hand, blowing the while to 
separate the chaff from the grains. - All is quiet along the line, ^ 
except occasional skirmishing. We had regimental inspection 
this afternoon. The foraging train of the Fifteenth Corps came 
in this afternoon with some forage. We are now in camp in a 
large rice plantation about ten miles south of Savannah. 

Thursday, 15th — The weather is fine — days warm and pleas- 
ant and nights cool. The Thirty-second Illinois arrived in camp 
at 1 1 o'clock with sweet potatoes, fresh pork and corn for our 
brigade. We are still lying in camp without rations. We had 
company inspection and drill for the recruits. The First Divi- 
sion of the Fifteenth Corps advanced their skirmish line this 



238 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(December, 1864) 

morning toward the rebels' post south of Savannah. There was 
quite an artillery duel and some sharp skirmishing, but our men 
succeeded in gaining their position. 

Friday, 16th — Left this morning at 8 o'clock for King's bridge 
over the Ogeechee river at a point fifteen miles from Savannah, 
where we again went into camp. All the torpedoes having been 
removed from the river, small boats can now come up to the 
bridge and land. Two boats came up with mail and some other 
articles. There were four tons of mail for the army. All 
is quiet along the line, but we have no rations yet. We 
still have plenty of rice with the hull on, but all the mortars upon 
the plantation have now been gathered together and the cavalry 
have put all the negroes of the plantation at work hulling rice. 

Saturday, iyth — Large details of men from our division were 
sent out to cut and prepare timber for the engineers to build a 
wharf at the landing so that the boats can be unloaded more 
readily. Several hundred of us were at work, some cutting the 
trees — tall pines, others cutting them into proper lengths, and 
still others hewing and squaring the timbers. The teamsters 
then hauled them to the landing. Two more boats came up the 
river today, one loaded with hay for the mules, the other with 
our provisions. We received our mail today. All is quiet along 
the line and the weather is fine. 

Sunday, i8th — This morning, as yesterday, there was a very 
heavy fog, continuing till about 9 o'clock. We drew one day's 
rations of hardtack, having been without bread of any kind for 
six days, during which time rice was almost our sole diet. 
Our company was partially reorganized today by promotions. 
Lieutenant Spencer was promoted to captain, J. A. White to sec- 
ond lieutenant, and I was made fifth sergeant. J. Tomlinson is 
to be made first lieutenant, but the promotion was not made today 
because his commission had not yet arrived. 

Monday, ipth — Weather pleasant. Reveille sounded at 1 a. 
m. and at 2 o'clock our brigade started for the rifle pits in front 
of Savannah. The first brigade was left at the bridge to guard 
the landing and to unload the boats. A little before daylight, un- 
noticed by the rebels, we passed over the same causeway that 
we went down on, and after marching about nine miles we formed 
a line of battle and sent out skirmishers. We soon drove the 



MARCHING THROUGH GEORGIA 239 

(December, 1864) 

rebels across the swamp. They used grape and canister on us, 
but did little harm. At all the points where they have the roads 
blockaded, we have planted sixty-four-pounders, which keep their 
guns silent. There is some heavy cannonading and brisk skir- 
mishing all along the lines. 

Tuesday, 20th — Cloudy and windy this morning. Heavy can- 
nonading with some skirmishing was kept up all day. Our bat- 
teries silenced the rebels' batteries at every point. Four com- 
panies from our regiment went out last night to reinforce the 
details on building fortifications. The walls of the forts are to 
be twenty feet thick. We have a miserable camping ground right 
on the edge of the swamp, but we cleaned up a camp and at 4 
o'clock this afternoon had company inspection. We have very 
poor water to use, having to get it from the swamp. But we are 
now drawing full rations, for which we are very thankful. All 
is quiet in the rear. 

Wednesday, 21st— The last artillery firing this morning was 
that of a thunderstorm. It seems that kind Providence wanted 
a hand in the capture of the city. We received orders about 10 
o'clock to be ready to march at a moment's warning, and im- 
mediately we were ordered to march, as the rebels had evacuated 
the place. We started at once and before noon reached the edge 
of the city and went into camp, while a part of the army went 
in pursuit of the fleeing rebels. They left their outside works 
last night at 10 o'clock, and this morning left the city, crossing 
the Savannah river by pontoon bridges, under cover of their gun- 
boats. Their rear guard is now five miles below, just across the 
river on the South Carolina side. 

Thursday, 22d — It is quite cool. Our camp is just inside the 
city limits. We tore down several houses and fences with which 
to build "'ranches," and then spent the rest of the day in cleaning 
accouterments and washing our clothes. The rebels, in their 
haste to get away, left about one hundred and fifty pieces of ar- 
tillery and a large quantity of fixed ammunition. They also left 
hundreds of their sick and wounded soldiers here in the hospital. 

Savannah is a very nice city, on high ground, affording a good 
view of the South Carolina coast. The town is well laid out, 
having wide streets and little parks at many of the intersections. 



240 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(December, 1864) 

There are some fine churches here. A large number of business 
houses and office buildings are vacant. They had a printing 
press here for the making of paper money. I passed 
the building this morning where the press was located, and found 
on the sidewalk two bales of the currency, which some one had 
thrown out. The bundles were of about one hundred pounds 
each and the money consisted of tens and twenties. I helped my- 
self to $50.00 and walked on. At the present time this money 
is below par. The boys are offering $1,000 to citizens for a loaf 
of bread, and some of the officers have offered from $4,000 to 
$5,000 for some one to curry their horses, but they can find no 
one who will accept their offers. 

Friday, 23d — The citizens of Savannah have generally re- 
mained in their homes, only a few having left town. Four-fifths 
of the people are women and children, the rest being old men. 
They appear to be glad that our army has taken possession of 
the city, and most of them are willing to take the oath of alle- 
giance. The people here are not so near starvation as they are 
in other places in this state. Two or three small boats came up 
the river from the coast, but they did not have any rations for the 
army, as there is clanger from the torpedoes laid in the river. The 
torpedoes are being taken out as fast as the men can get to them. 

Saturday, 24th — General Foster's command is still in pursuit 
of the fleeing rebels through South Carolina. They had an en- 
counter yesterday with them, in which the rebels were complete- 
ly routed. General Foster was wounded in the fight and was 
brought into town this morning. General Sherman 1 reviewed the 
Fifteenth Army Corps this morning. We had company drill this 
afternoon. 

Sunday, 25th — This is a cloudy, cool day and a lonesome 
Christmas. We are on one-third rations now and poor prospects 
of getting more soon. We still have plenty of rice, although in 

1 While on our march through Georgia, all the men had a chance to 
see Sherman at close range, as he rode with the different corps, chang- 
ing from one to another. As we approached Savannah, going in on the 
main road, which was rather narrow, he was with our corps, the Seven- 
teenth, which had most of the fighting to do. I noticed that when he 
wished to get ahead to the front of the corps, he never would crowd 
the infantry aside, but instead rode alongside himself, leaving the good 
road for them. I have seen him ride this way, his horse on an ordinary 
walk, with his staff officers riding in single file behind him. Some of 
the boys would ask him questions, or make some joking remarks as to 
where we were going, and the general would seldom reply, but would 
always have a pleasant smile in recognition of the question asked. He 
won the respect of the boys, and they all had confidence in him. — A. 
G. D. 



MARCHING THROUGH GEORGIA 241 

(December, 1864) 

the hull, so we can get along. Large foraging parties were sent 
up the Savannah river to obtain rice straw for our beds and they 
brought in large quantities of rice still in the sheaf to feed the 
horses and mules. There are some very large rice plantations 
along the river and there is a great deal of rice not yet threshed. 
We had company inspection this evening. All is quiet. 

Monday, 26th — Everything is quiet this morning, though for 
a while last night there was quite an excitement in town when a 
fire broke out. We are still lying in camp, with no particular 
duty to perform, though we are expecting orders every day to 
move down the river to Ft. Johnson, below Savannah. We are 
on half rations now, but today got large quantities of fresh oys- 
ters, all we can make use of. They were in the shell and were 
hauled into our camps by the wagon load, and sold to the boys 
by the peck or bushel. Governor Stone of Iowa arrived in camp 
today from Morehead City, North Carolina. He came to issue 
commissions to the officers of veteran regiments, and also to see 
that the sick and wounded Iowa soldiers in the field hospitals of 
the South were receiving good care. 

Tuesday, 2jth — All is quiet. There is no news of any im- 
portance. 1 The Fourteenth Army Corps was reviewed at 9 a. 
m. by General Sherman. The troops looked fine. The Four- 
teenth is a good corps. I sent in my subscriptions today for three 
papers : the Missouri Democrat at $2.00 per year, the Theological 
Journal, $2.00, and Harper's Weekly, $4.00. I think I shall have 
enough reading matter now for 1865, if I succeed in getting all 
my papers. 

Wednesday, >8tli — It was cloudy with some rain, though it 
cleared off in the afternoon and turned quite cool. Things are 
very quiet in camp, and our duty is light ; we do not have even 
picket duty, as the cavalry are doing that on the outskirts. Near- 

'The foragers or bummers, as they came to be called, presented at 
times some odd and amusing situations. Starting out early in advance 
of the command, they would do their pillaging, return to the main road 
to await the arrival of the command, and along in the afternoon we 
would find them, often loaded down with good things for their com- 
rades to eat. They sometimes came upon rich plantations where the 
owners had about everything they wanted, including a well-filled larder. 
When there was no wagon at hand, they would look the premises over 
and, finding the family carriage and horse, they would load it down and 
start for the main line of march. I have often seen them with a fine 
family carriage filled with smoked meat, and on the outside were tied 
chickens, turkeys and geese, or ducks. Then, to cap the climax, one 
fellow would be seated in the carriage dressed in the planter's swallow- 
tail coat, white vest and plug hat, while another one would be astride 
a mule and dressed in similar fashion. — A. G. D. 



242 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(December, 1864) 

ly all the citizens inside of our lines have taken the oath, swear- 
ing that they will not aid the Southern Confederacy. All of 
them express the view that the war will come to a close soon. 
We hope their view will prove true. 

Thursday, 29th — The weather continues pleasant but cool. 
The glorious old Seventeenth Army Corps was reviewed at 9 
a. m. by Major-General Sherman. The corps performed nicely 
and looked fine considering the campaign through which they 
have gone, and also considering the fact that they have not yet 
drawn new clothing. We formed our lines in the streets down 
in the city and the general rode along the lines to inspect them. 
We then marched along Front Street, where the general was sta- 
tioned to review us. General Foster was also present as we passed 
in review. We got back into camp at 2 o'clock, having had a fine 
day for the review. Things are very quiet and there is no news 
of any importance. Small boats come up the river every day to 
bring rations and other army stores. 

Friday, 30th — The Twentieth Army Corps was reviewed by 
General Sherman at 9 a. m. They came out with their flying 
colors and brass bands, making a big showing. But when there's 
a fight on hand they are not as forward as they might be ; it suits 
them better to garrison a place after it has been taken. We have 
company drill once a day, and the substitutes have to drill twice 
a day when in camp. The Thirteenth and Sixteenth 
Iowa and the Thirty-second Illinois, moved their camps this after- 
noon to make room for the fortifications planned. Sherman has 
ordered Savannah to be strongly fortified. Heavy guns will be 
mounted so that no enemy can get close enough to do any harm 
with the ordinary field guns. The engineers went to work today 
laying out the places where the forts are to be built. 

Saturday, 31st — Still in camp and on short rations at that, the 
quartermaster having cut us down to one-half rations. We can- 
not understand why this should be, though there must be a good 
reason for the order. The fire department of the city came out this 
morning for inspection by General Sherman, and made a fine ap- 
pearance, considering that the city had been captured only ten 
days before. 1 Our men commenced today to fortify the city. 

J It seems that there was the best of understanding between the 
people of Savannah and General Sherman. They tried to make it as 
pleasant for the Union army as they could, and Sherman treated them 
with creat consideration. — A. G. D. 



MARCHING THROUGH GEORGIA 243 

(December, 1864) 

They are throwing up heavy earthworks ten feet through, pro- 
tected by a ditch on the outside, ten feet deep by twenty feet wide 
at the top and ten feet at the bottom. The fortifications are built 
just inside the city. We have to tear down a great many houses in 
order to get lumber to support the earth thrown up, and with 
which to make platforms for the artillery. 

And so this is the end of the year 1864. It has been a year 
of hard, active service for our brigade, as also for the entire corps. 
The Eleventh Iowa has done its part and suffered severely, Com- 
pany E alone having lost seven men by bullet in the siege of At- 
lanta, besides a number having been severely wounded. 

JANUARY, 1865. 

Sunday, 1st — This is New Year's Day and my fourth in the 
army. 1 We did not have to work on the fortifications today, and 
as the weather was cloudy and cool we remained close to our 
"ranches." At 4 p. m. we had company inspection. We are still 
on two-thirds rations. 

Monday, 2d — The weather is quite cool. I was detailed this 
morning to work on the fortifications. We are building the plat- 
forms, upon which will be mounted the large cannon, just out- 
side of the forts and rifle pits. These are elevated from five to 
ten feet above the common level of the ground and then floored 
so that in wet weather the gunners will not have to be in the mud. 
A few nice residences have to be pulled down to make room for 
the works, but nothing like that we had to do at Vicksburg. 



JThe common belief among the men was that this would be the last 
New Year's Day spent in the army. Everything pointed to an early end of 
the war. — A. G. D. 



244 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(January, 1865) 



Chapter XXII. 
Raid Through South Carolina. January 3-March 7. 

Tuesday, 3d — The First Division of the Seventeenth Army 
Corps embarked this afternoon on an unknown expedition. 1 They 
had to march down to the coast below the city in order to take 
ship. It is reported in camp that the rest of the corps, together 
with the Fifteenth Corps, is to follow in a few days, while the 
Fourteenth and Twentieth Corps, with Kilpatrick's cavalry, are 
to cross the Savannah river above the city and start on a grand 
raid through South Carolina. They are to move through North 
Carolina and Virginia, and finally land at Richmond. 

Wednesday, 4th — A large detail from the Fourteenth Army 
Corps was at work today on the fortifications. The Third Di- 
vision of the Seventeenth Corps marched down to the coast and 
this afternoon embarked upon the expedition. Our division, the 
Fourth, received orders to be ready to move in the morning. 
Our regimental quartermaster received a consignment of cloth- 
ing for the men. I drew a rubber blanket, one shirt, one pair 
of drawers and a hat. I also purchased at one of the stores here 
a military cap for $6.00. Captain Spencer left for home today 
on a thirty-day furlough ; I sent $200.00 home by him to father. 

Thursday, 5th — The order for the Iowa Brigade to move was 
countermanded this morning, and we remained in camp all day. 
The weather has been pleasant and is quite warm today. 

Friday, 6th — We left our camp this morning at 8 o'clock and 
marched down to the coast about four miles below Savannah. 
At 2 o'clock we embarked on the transports for Beaufort, South 
Carolina. Our regiment is on board a ship built in England 
as a blockade-runner for the Southern Confederacy, but which 
was finally captured by our navy at Savannah. It rained all fore- 
noon, but by noon it had cleared off with a high wind blowing in 
from the ocean. Our ship, not having enough ballast, rocked 
frightfully in the gale, upsetting tables in the dining room and 
frightening many of the boys lest we should be turned over. The 

>We learned later that the expedition sailed for Beaufort, South 
Carolina. — A. G. D. 



RAID THROUGH SOUTH CAROLINA 245 

(January, 1865) 

sailors only smiled at our discomfiture. The rough sea made a 
great many of the boys sick, but our company being on the hur- 
ricane deck, did not become so sick. We reached Beaufort at 1 1 
p. m., but cannot land, and so have to remain on the boats all 
night. 

Saturday, jth — This morning we found that during the night 
our ship was driven by the high wind upon a sand bar in the 
bay. Here we lay, a cold northwest wind blowing across our 
deck forty feet above the water. But we fared better than the 
boys below, for, on account of their being so sick, it was reported 
that their floor was difficult to stand on even after the ship had 
stopped. They ran a small side-wheel steamboat alongside of the 
ship and set a tall ladder on the wheelhouse, reaching up to our 
deck, and one by one we climbed down the ladder to the other 
boat, which hauled us to the shore. We were glad to leave that 
ship. Some of the boys declared that they would rather walk the 
entire distance than ride on any ship. We marched out about two 
miles from town and went into camp in a heavy pine timber. Here 
we have plenty of wood with which to build a good fire, as a cold 
rain commenced to fall this afternoon. 

Sunday, 8th — It is quite cool. We lay in camp all day. We 
are once more drawing full rations, and it is well that we are, for 
there is absolutely nothing to forage here, not even rice in the 
hull. We have also received some of the Sanitary goods sent 
here for distribution. All is quiet at present and there is no news 
of any importance. Beaufort is a nice place, situated on an island, 
and has good shipping facilities. Goods of all kinds are sold here 
at reasonable prices, business being carried on much as in a North- 
ern town. The Union army has been in possession of the place for 
some time. The entire Seventeenth Army Corps is here, but will 
move forward in a few days. 

Monday, Qth — We remained in camp all day. 1 It rained most 
of the day. No news of any importance. 

'I had been suffering- with the toothache for some days when on this 
day it became so bad that I made up my mind to go to the doctor and 
have the tooth extracted. I arrived at the doctor's tent, he directed me 
to an ancient chair and asked me to show him the tooth. I pointed out 
the exact tooth, he hooked on, at the same time telling me to hold on to 
the chair, and pulled. He succeeded in bringing the -tooth, but it was 
not the aching one. I however, concluded that one tooth at a time was 
enough, even if it was the wrong one, and returned to my rancho with 
the hope that it would soon quit aching. But the last state of that tooth 
was worse than the first. — A. G. D. 



246 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(January, 1865) 

Tuesday, 10th — Our division moved out to the front about 
five miles and went into camp again. We had to move because 
we had burned up all the fallen timber around our camp, while 
at the new camp we will have plenty. It rained quite hard this 
afternoon and then turned colder at night. The country through 
which we passed is on a dead level, and the plantations lie idle. 
All of the buildings and fences were burned by our armies oper- 
ating in this part of the state before our arrival. 

Wednesday, nth — It is clear and quite cool. We learn that 
a part of the Fifteenth Army Corps landed at Beaufort today and 
will come out this way and go into camp. We expect to be joined 
by the other two corps from Savannah as soon as they succeed 
in crossing the river, when we shall all move forward at the same 
time. We had company inspection today. 

Thursday, 12th — All is quiet in camp. The weather is very 
pleasant and everything has the appearance of spring. The trees 
seem alive with birds, many different kinds, some of which are 
very sweet singers. Sometimes the sun is so bright that it re- 
minds one of June days in the North. We received orders to be 
ready to march in the morning at daylight. 

Friday, ijth — For some reason we did not break camp and 
get started until 4 p. m. and then moved only, four miles and went 
into bivouac. We routed the rebels from the south bank of the 
Broad river and laid down the pontoons for the army to cross 
over. Two of our regiments crossed the river in skiffs at some 
point above or below after nightfall and routed the rebels from 
the river. 

Saturday, 14th — Our army commenced to move at 7 this 
morning and by 10 o'clock the last detachment had crossed Broad 
river. We moved on about ten miles, driving the rebels and skir- 
mishing with them all the way. The Iowa Brigade lost one man 
killed, a lieutenant of Company A, Fifteenth Iowa. The expe- 
dition consists of the Seventeenth Army Corps with General Fos- 
ter's command on our left. 

Sunday, 13th — The rebels fell back last night and our men 
pushed forward this morning. We moved six miles and again 
went into camp. One regiment and the Thirteenth Iowa was left 
at Pocotaligo for picket duty and to act as train guard for the 



RAID THROUGH SOUTH CAROLINA 247 

(January, 1865) 

trains passing to and fro from Beaufort, hauling provisions out 
to the front for the army. 

Monday, 16th — All is quiet in front. Company E moved back 
four or five miles to a large rebel fort on the main road to 
Beaufort, and on an inlet of the ocean. We are to remain here 
on picket duty until further orders. The main part of the regi- 
ment has fortified. Our company put up the "ranches" on a 
causeway. 

Tuesday, i/th — Our brigade was inspected at i p. m. today 
by the brigade commander. There is very little sickness among 
the men in spite of the fact that we have been in this low, flat 
country for a fortnight. The land where we are stationed is 
barely above the sea level, and we easily see the effect of the tide 
on the water of the inlet. 

Wednesday, 18th — The weather is very pleasant. We are 
still on duty guarding the main road to Beaufort. The trains 
have all gone in for supplies. All is quiet in front. This low 
country, before the war, was planted to cotton, the planters living 
in town while their plantations were managed by overseers and 
worked by slaves brought down from the border states. We can 
see rows of the vacant negro huts on these large plantations, set 
upon blocks so as to keep the floors dry. The negroes are all 
gone, being employed in the armies of both sections. 1 

Thursday, ipth — There is nothing new. We are still on pick- 
et on the main road to Beaufort. 

Friday, 20th — It rained all day and the roads are becoming 
quite muddy. 

Saturday, 21st — It is still raining. The teams are going back 

'When I think of the vacant plantations I saw all through the South, 
when I recall the hardships of the negroes, and the different modes of 
punishment inflicted upon the slaves, all with the consent of the South- 
ern people, then I can understand how they could be so cruel in their 
treatment of the Union prisoners of war. They put them in awful 
prison pens and starved them to death without a successful protest 
from the better class of the people of the South. The guards of these 
prisons had lived all their lives witnessing the cruel tortures of slaves; 
they had become hardened and thus had no mercy on an enemy when 
in their power. Many an Andersonville prisoner was shot down just 
for getting too close to an imaginary dead-line when suffering from 
thirst and trying to get a drink of water. 

Not all Southerners were so cruel, for I lived in the same house 
with an ex-Confederate soldier from Georgia, when in southern Florida 
during the winter of 1911 and know that he had some feeling. He 
had been guard at Andersonville for a short time, and told me that he 
would have taken water to them by the bucketful, for he could not bear 
to hear the poor fellows calling for water; but that he did not dare to do 
it. This man's name was McCain, and at the time I met him his home 
was at College Park, Atlanta, Ga. — A. G. D. 



248 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(January, 1865) 

and forth day and night, hauling provisions. The roads are so 
bad now at places that the teams get stuck in the mud. 

Sunday, 2 2d — A detail from our regiment was sent out along 
the road today to help the loaded wagons across the deep mud- 
holes, as they come through from Beaufort. It is reported that 
the Fourteenth and Twentieth Corps have crossed into South 
Carolina and are floundering in the mud bottoms of the Savannah 
river. 

Monday, 23d — It is still raining, and our men have made a 
new landing within six miles of Pocotaligo. It is at one of the 
inlets which has a channel deep enough for small steamboats to 
come up. This will shorten the haul of our provisions about 
twenty miles — no small item in this land of sandy bottoms. 

Tuesday, 24th — It is still raining, which makes the fifth day 
of steady rain, and at times it comes down in torrents. We are 
very fortunate in having shacks set up on the top of the old fort 
where we are located, for if we were camping down on the level 
ground, we could not possibly keep dry. Our duty is very light 
here, but we are getting awfully tired of the place, and hope that 
as we have a new landing for the provisions, we may be able to 
get away in a few days and move on to the front at Garden Cor- 
ners, South Carolina. 

Wednesday, 25th — It has cleared off now and is quite cool. 
It does not take long in this sandy region for the roads to dry 
off, and in three or four days they will be in good condition. We 
expect to leave here soon. The men are becoming very restless, 
being at one place so long. General Sherman and General How- 
ard left for the front today. 

Thursday, 26th — It is still clear and quite cool with the wind 
from the northwest. This is the coldest day we have had this 
winter here in the South, yet there is no ice even in a bucket of 
water. 

Friday, 2jth — We are still on duty at the old fort, and every- 
thing is going well. The trains have now quit going to Beaufort 
and we expect to receive orders to leave soon. 

Saturday, 28th — Our company received orders to move on to 
the front tomorrow. The weather is quite pleasant. Some of 
the trains of the Fifteenth Corps came in from the landing this 
evening, but the corps has not yet arrived. 



RAID THROUGH SOUTH CAROLINA 249 

(January, 1865) 

Sunday, 29th— Our company left camp in the old fort at 10 
o'clock and reached the brigade headquarters at Garden Corners 
about noon. Our entire division then moved forward about ten 
miles and went into bivouac for the night. The roads were fine 
for marching, having had no rain for four days. 

Monday, 3 oth—We marched about three miles this morning 
and then went into bivouac to await further orders. The report 
is that we are now ready to make the grand raid through South 
Carolina. The Seventeenth and Fifteenth Corps are to form 
the right wing, as in the campaign through Georgia, with Gen- 
eral O. O. Howard in command. General Slocum is in command 
of the left wing, composed of the other two corps, the Fourteenth 
and Twentieth, while Kilpatrick's cavalry will take the flanks as 
rear guard. General Sherman is in chief command. General 
Foster, it is said, is either to remain here or move to Charleston. 

Tuesday, 31st— We remained in bivouac all day and have 
heard no news. We drew some clothing today. Our camp is 
located about thirty miles northwest of Beaufort. The 
country is very level and heavily timbered, chiefly with pine. 
It is thinly settled and the farms are small with nothing of con- 
sequence raised on them. The people are poor, the women and 
children being left destitute, as the men have all gone off to the 



war. 



FEBRUARY, 1865. 

Wednesday, 1st— We left camp early this morning for the 
grand raid through South Carolina, under the command of 
General Sherman. But our march will not be an easy one, for the 
rebels will do their best to hold us in check. There are one hundred 
thousand men within a radius of twenty miles, and there's no 
telling how the campaign will end or who will be left dead or mor- 
tally wounded upon the field without a friend near. Cannon began 
booming in less than an hour, but we had no losses today. We 
moved foward about eight miles through Whiffy Swamp, driving 
the rebels all the way. On account of the bad road we had to travel, 
our division could not keep up with the rest of the corps, but went 
into camp about four miles in the rear. The Fifteenth Corps came 
up on our left to Hicky Hill, making a march of twenty miles. 



250 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(February, 1865) 

Thursday, 2d — This is a beautiful morning and we started 
early on our march. We had better roads than yesterday, on 
higher ground, and covered thirteen miles. We drove the rebels 
forward all day, doing some lively skirmishing in the front. The 
rebels have all crossed the Salkehatchie river, but have posses- 
sion of the two bridges about eight miles apart. We went into 
camp near the river. We lost some good officers and brave men 
in the skirmishing today. It makes one sorrowful to think that 
they have to be buried here in this God-forsaken swamp country. 

Friday, 3d — It rained quietly nearly all day, and we remained 
in camp until i p. m., when we received marching orders. Our 
division under General Giles E. Smith then made ready to wade 
and swim the river midway between the two bridges. The river 
is one and one-fourth miles wide, having at least one hundred and 
thirty-three different channels or branches, from two to four feet 
deep. It took us an hour and a half to cross over, General Smith 
leading on foot, for no horse could go across. We were not al- 
lowed to talk or let our accouterments make any noise. We found 
the rebel pickets on the opposite side, but they fired only a 
single shot each and made for tall timber. We remained here on 
guard. The First and Third Divisions crossed the river above 
us and also drove in the rebel pickets. 1 Our teams and bat- 
teries were left in the rear. 

Saturday, 4th — We remained in line of battle all night, not 
being allowed to build any fires. This morning we moved out 
about two miles nearer the upper bridge, the rebels having left 
the vicinity during the night. We remained here, fortifying the 
bridge. Our teams and batteries came across the bridge this 
morning. General Mower's division lost several men here at the 
bridge yesterday morning about the time that we were crossing 
below. 2 

Sunday, 3th — The atmosphere is clear and it is getting quite 
warm. We remained in our rifle pits all day, but had to put up 
our shelter tents, for we actually suffered from the heat. All is 
quiet in front. We had company inspection this morning and 

*Our division, after successfully crossing the river, effected a lodg- 
ment on the main Charleston road just before the arrival of eight regi- 
ments which had been sent up to make good the enemy's position at 
this bridge. — A. G. D. 

2 There was a concerted move by the Union army all along the line. 
—Ed. 



RAID THROUGH SOUTH CAROLINA 251 

(February, 1865) 

dress parade in the evening. We drew two days' rations to last 
ten days, but we have an abundance of forage. The boys brought 
in smoked bacon by the wagon load, also great quantities of corn 
meal, sweet potatoes, honey and other good things. 

Monday, 6th — The weather changed again, and we had a rath- 
er cold, drizzling rain nearly all day. We left our trenches at 7 
o'clock this morning and were all day in marching ten miles, the 
country being so very swampy. We had a great deal of corduroy 
to build, and the rebels blocked our way by burning a bridge over 
a deep channel in the swamp. There was some skirmishing in 
the front. We were ordered to leave all our surplus bacon in the 
company parade ground, and the quartermaster would send a wag- 
on with the extra forage for us ; but we were skeptical and carried 
all that our haversacks would hold. 1 

Tuesday, yth — We had another all day, cold, drizzling rain. 
We left our bivouac at 7 o'clock and after marching fourteen 
miles stopped for the night. With every mile the road got bet- 
ter as we moved upon higher ground, and the forage also be- 
came more plentiful. Just after we had stacked arms to go into 
bivouac, our regiment was ordered to fall in again. We marched 
out on the Augusta and Charleston railroad to burn the bridge 
over the Edisto river, but the pickets, on hearing our approach, 
for it was too dark to see anything, all hastened across the bridge 
and set fire to it themselves. This saved us the trouble and we 
went back, reaching our bivouac about midnight, after march- 
ing in all about ten miles. 

Wednesday, 8th — Our division started out on the railroad at 
7 o'clock this morning and destroyed about ten miles of track. 
We then returned to camp for the rest of the day and night. All 
is quiet in front. 

Thursday, gth — We remained in camp until noon, when we 
moved forward again about ten miles and went into bivouac on 
the east bank of the Edisto river. The First Division waded the 
river to drive the rebels back so that the engineers with our corps 
could lay the pontoons for the corps to cross. The Fifteenth 

1 Our company alone left a load of the finest bacon, besides other 
articles. It was the last we saw of our store of surplus forage. We 
learned later that the officers took that way of having the forage left 
for the negroes and poor people of the vicinity, for we had cleaned the 
vicinity of everything. — A. G. D. 



252 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(February, 1865) 

Corps crossed the river about a mile above. A great deal of prop- 
erty is being destroyed by our army on this raid. The familiar 
clouds of smoke are becoming more numerous every day, while 
out on the left we can count from ten to twenty of the red clouds 
in the heavens every night. 

Friday, ioth — We lay in camp all day, but large foraging 
parties were sent out. They brought in great quantities of for- 
age — pork and potatoes, also feed for the animals. The farming 
is all done here by the negro women and old men, the able-bodied 
men, white and black, being in the army. We received a large 
mail today, the first for a month. I got two letters and two pack- 
ages. 

Saturday, nth — Very pleasant weather. We started at 8 
o'clock this morning and moved forward twelve miles. There 
was some skirmishing in front, and our forces routed the enemy 
from some strong positions. 1 

Sunday, 12th — Our division relieved the Third Division on 
the skirmish line at the bridge this morning, while they went 
down the river a'bout a mile, laid the pontoons and crossed over. 
The skirmishing was commenced at an early hour all along the 
line for a distance of fifteen miles. Our men threw shells across 
the river into Orangeburg, and the rebels left the bridge about 
1 o'clock. Our division crossed the bridge two hours later and 
took possession of the town. 2 

Orangeburg is nicely situated on the north bank of the Edisto 
river, and on the railroad running from Charleston to Columbia. 
The town is almost deserted, but before the war it had a popu- 
lation of three thousand. We destroyed the railroad and went 
into camp for the night. 

Monday, 13th — Our corps started out at 7 o'clock this morning 
and after destroying twenty-six miles of railroad, marched fifteen 
miles, on the State road from Charleston to Columbia, and went 
into camp. This is the finest road over which we have marched 

'When the Confederates had good positions, they were unable to 
make a strong stand and retain them. For although they could delay 
our army for a time at the main crossings of rivers, there was always 
another part of our army reaching the same river by some byroad, 
which after crossing would flank them, or coming up in the rear would 
drive them out of their defenses. — A. G. D. 

2 The town was on fire when we arrived. The report was that the 
town was set on fire by a Jew, in revenge for the enemy's setting fire 
to his cotton, about fifty bales, when they evacuated the place. The high 
winds which prevailed rapidly spread the fire in spite of the efforts of 
the soldiers to extinguish it. 



RAID THROUGH SOUTH CAROLINA 253 

(February, 1865) 

in all the South ; it had mile posts and our division commander 
must have wanted to see how fast we could march, for we stepped 
off the fifteen miles in just three hours and fifteen minutes. 

Tuesday, 14th — We started to move forward at 9 a. m. and 
after an easy march of twelve miles 1 went into camp for the night. 
The rebels are still retreating before us. 

Wednesday, 15th — It rained all night, and this morning is 
quite cool. By 8 o'clock we were again on the move and cov- 
ered ten miles in pushing the rebels back. The Fifteenth Corps 
on our right drove them back this afternoon behind their fortifi- 
cations on the south bank of the Congaree river, then we had a 
regular artillery duel until after dark. We have been in the 
smoke of the burning pine woods and buildings almost contin- 
uously for the last few days. At times when marching on a road 
alongside the burning pine timber, we became so blackened from 
the smoke as to look like negroes, while the heat from the burn- 
ing pitch was frightful. 

Thursday, 16th — Early this morning cannonading was begun 
in front of the Fifteenth Corps, followed by some lively skirmish- 
ing, and the rebels were routed from their works and driven 
across the Congaree river. The Fifteenth Corps then marched up 
along the south bank of the river above the city of Columbia, to 
the forks, where the Saluda and Broad rivers form the Congaree, 
and crossed the Saluda on the pontoons. In the meantime our 
regiment was behind on train guard and did not come into action. 
We moved forward and with our corps went into camp for the 
night on the south bank of the Congaree, just opposite Columbia, 
the state capital. 

Friday, ifth — The Seventeenth Army Corps remained all day 
on the south bank of the Congaree river, near the Saluda cotton 
mills, while the Fifteenth Corps early this morning crossed the 

'It will be recalled that in the campaign through Georgia we went 
in extra light marching orders. Just before we began our raid through 
the Carolinas, at Pocotaligo, we received further orders which stripped 
us of all unnecessary articles. General Sherman himself had only a 
fly-tent at night. 

Now I never could stand to carry a heavy knapsack, generally not 
carrying enough to make it keep its shape. Before we left Pocotaligo, 
therefore, in order to make it keep its shape and thus carry easier, 
I made a frame out of a cracker box, eighteen inches square 
by four inches in depth, and placed it in my knapsack, then rolling my 
fly-tent, four by seven feet, and around it my rubber poncho, making 
a roll about eighteen or twenty inches long, I strapped it on my knap- 
sack and I was ready for the march. With this outfit, when I was well, 
I could easily march thirty to thirty-five miles a day. This I did with- 
out becoming fatigued, carrying besides, my rifle, cartridge-box, haver- 
sack with five days' rations, and my canteen filled with water. — A. G. D. 



254 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(February, 1865) 

north fork, the Broad river, on pontoons, having laid them dur- 
ing the night, and moved down upon Columbia. But when they 
entered the place they found that the rebels had already left it. 
In the meantime the Thirteenth Iowa Regiment, being on our 
skirmish line in front of the city, crossed the river in skiffs and 
after a little skirmishing succeeded in placing their flag on the 
State House before any of the Fifteenth Corps even got into 
town. 1 So a part of the Seventeenth Corps was the first to enter 
Columbia. 2 Our corps crossed the forks late this afternoon and 
went into camp a short distance from town. 

Saturday, 18th — Columbia was almost completely destroyed 
by fire last night. Only a few houses in the outskirts are left 
standing, and many people are without homes this morning. Col- 
lumbia was a very nice town situated on the Congaree at the head 
of navigation. Three railroads run through the town. A new 
stone State House was being built, which it is said was to have 
been the capital of the Southern Confederacy. Last night I 
passed by the sheds where the fine marble columns for the build- 

2 This is precisely the substance of the original entry of Mr. Down- 
ing's diary. In the following footnote, after almost fifty years, he ex- 
plains the flag episode more fully and also speaks incidentally of the 
burning of Columbia, though he makes no mention of it in his original; 
that he did not is, however, not to be wondered at, since such burnings 
were common. In his revision fifty years later he does not enter into 
the discussion of "Who Burned Columbia," but makes a single state- 
ment, which seems to hold the Confederates responsible. — Ed. 

2 It was a bright sunshiny day with a high wind blowing from the 
south. From where we were, on the south bank of the river just oppo- 
site the city, we could see men on foot and on horseback in the main 
street of Columbia, lighting the cotton bales which they before had 
piled up in the streets for defenses. In the forenoon a detachment of 
men from the Thirteenth Iowa Regiment crossed the river, and driving 
the enemy's skirmishers into the city, they placed their regimental flag 
on the State House, thus having the honor of being the first to place 
the Stars and Stripes on the capitol of the first state to secede from the 
Union. 

The Thirteenth Iowa was in Crocker's Brigade, or the Third Bri- 
gade of the Fourth Division of the Seventeenth Army Corps. The boys 
of the Thirteenth Iowa made the mistake of not placing a guard about 
their flag, for about an hour after they had raised their flag, the Iowa 
Brigade in the Fifteenth Army Corps entered the city from the west, and 
the Thirtieth Iowa Regiment of that brigade, being on the skirmish 
line, naturally made for the State House. Upon approaching the capitol 
and seeing no Union soldiers around, they proceeded to investigate a 
little, and upon entering the building and finding no guard, they took 
down the flag of the Thirteenth Iowa, and put up their own instead. 
They then left a guard to defend it. The Thirteenth Iowa was without 
a flag for two or three days, when the Thirtieth Iowa finally returned 
to them their flag. 

Our corps, the Seventeenth, moved up the river, and by dark had 
crossed the forks, the Saluda and Broad rivers, on the pontoons. As 
soon as we had stacked arms, I left for the city to replenish my haver- 
sack, which had become rather flat, and I did not get back to our bivouac 
until 2 o'clock in the morning, and then without anything to eat in 
my haversack. On entering town I passed by the abandoned Confed- 
erate commissary department, and seeing a great abundance of food 
stuffs, I thought that I would go down into town for a while, and then 
on my way back would fill up my haversack. But when I returned, I 
found the building in flames and food and all was in ashes before day- 
light.— A. <;. D. 



RAID THROUGH SOUTH CAROLINA 255 

(February, 1865) 

ing were carved and stored, and this morning they were all in 
ruins and the sheds in ashes. It is a sad sight to see the citizens 
standing in groups on the streets, holding little bundles of their 
most valued effects and not knowing what to do. It is said that 
some even came here from Charleston to escape Sherman's army. 
The people certainly have paid dearly for the privilege of seced- 
ing from the Union. The Seventeenth Corps passed through Col- 
umbia this morning and we were more than three hours in going 
through town. Our division marched out northwest along the 
railroad, destroying it all the way, and went into bivouac about 
six miles from town. 

Sunday, igth — We marched out on the railroad today and de- 
stroyed seven miles of track, then returned to camp, where we 
had left our knapsacks. We heard the sounds today of heavy 
explosions down in Columbia, and it is reported that our men 
have blown up the new State House. 1 

Monday, 20th — We continued our march northward today 
about ten miles, destroying six miles of railroad. All the rail- 
roads within twenty miles of Columbia have been destroyed, every 
tie is burned and every rail is twisted into a corkscrew. A 
sad accident happened yesterday afternoon in Columbia 
when a detail from the Fifteenth Army Corps was casting the 
fixed ammunition into the river. A man dropped a shell on the 
bank of the river, which exploding, caused other ammunition to 
explode and ignited a large quantity of powder, killing several 
soldiers and wounding twenty others. When Sherman heard of 
it, he is said to have remarked that one of his soldiers was worth 
more than all that ammunition or even the city of Columbia. 

Tuesday, 21st — We left camp about noon and moved forward 
another ten miles. The First Brigade took the railroad, destroy- 
ing it as they went. 

Wednesday, 22d — We started at 6 o'clock this morning and 
marched about fifteen miles. Our brigade tore up two miles of 

'The sound of the explosions in Columbia, which we heard on that 
day, was due to the destruction by our men of the fixed ammunition 
found there. General Sherman saved the beautiful new state capitol 
building, though it bore some of the ear marks of our shot and shell. 
The burning of Columbia resulted from the Confederates' setting fire 
to the bales of cotton in the streets; then at night some of the Union 
soldiers, getting too much poor whisky and burning with revenge, set 
fire to some of the vacant houses, and the high wind soon spread it 
over the whole town. — A. G. D. 



256 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(February, 1865) 

railroad. We passed through Winnsboro at 10 a. m. The Twen- 
tieth Corps camped here last night and this morning moved north 
along the railroad. About half of the town is burned. We left 
the railroad at this place and marched eastward, going into camp 
within six miles of the Wateree river. There are large numbers 
of refugees at Winnsboro, well-to-do citizens having come from 
all parts of the South — from Vicksburg, Atlanta, and other places 
too numerous to mention. They came into this state, to this se- 
cluded town, thinking that the Yankees would never be able to 
set foot on the sacred soil of South Carolina. They declare now 
that they will go no farther, as it would be of no use, and we 
agree with them in this case. 

Thursday, 23d — We broke camp at 7 o'clock this morning and 
marched ten miles, going into bivouac at Liberty Hill. At noon 
we crossed the Wateree river, at Perry's ferry, on a pontoon 
bridge which the Fifteenth Corps had laid and crossed on just 
ahead of us. Our division led the advance in the Seventeenth 
Corps, the other two divisions going into bivouac four miles in 
our rear. 

Friday, 24th — We started on our march at 7 this morning, 
our division again taking the advance. We marched twenty 
miles, and all the way in a fearful northeast rain, accompanied 
by a high wind. The country is getting very rough. Some 
of our foragers have been horribly butchered by the 
rebels' cavalry during the last few days. Such atrocities as we 
have witnessed make the horrors of the battlefield seem like ten- 
der mercies. In one instance one of our couriers was found 
hanged on the roadside with a paper attached to his person bear- 
ing the words: "Death to all foragers." At another place we 
found three men shot dead with a similar notice on their bodies. 
Yesterday our cavalry in the direction of Chesterfield found twen- 
ty-one of our infantry lying dead in a ravine with their throats 
cut. There was no note giving a reason for the frightful mur- 
ders. 

Saturday, 25th — It rained all night, but today it is clear. We 
marched fifteen miles today through the mud. Our regiment is 
on train guard. We found Little Lynches creek flooded and we 
had to wade it, the water being waist deep. The Twentieth 
Corps crossed the creek above us, the day before, and we learned 



RAID THROUGH SOUTH CAROLINA 257 

(February, 1865) 

that they raised the floodgates of a dam, letting the water in on 
us before we could get across. Our supply train had a hard 
time crossing. The water came up into the wagon boxes and a 
great deal of our hard bread got wet. We lost several beef cat- 
tle in the flood. The First Division did not come across this 
evening. The hills on this side of the creek are frightful and the 
mud is deep ; when a wagon once settles in one of the holes, it 
takes a final rest, for no effort of man or beast can extricate it. 

Sunday, 26th — We had another all-night rain, but it cleared 
off this morning. We started at 8 a. m. and marched ten miles, 
going into camp near the Big Lynches creek. Our division is 
still in the advance; the First Division did not yet come up with 
us. We have level country now, but for about twenty-five miles 
on each side of the Wateree river the land is very rough and cov- 
ered with pine timber. 

Monday, 27th — The day was clear and pleasant. About mid- 
night last night our regiment was detailed to tear down an old 
mill to get material for the engineers with the pontoniers to build 
a bridge across the Big Lynches creek. We worked till 4 a. m., 
when we came in for a rest. This morning we took the advance 
again with the teams and worked all day in building corduroy 
to help the artillery and wagons across. When one layer of logs 
would go under in the mud, we had to put on another till all the 
teams had passed over. Our division got across late in the even- 
ing and went into camp about a mile beyond the creek. 

Tuesday, 28th — We moved forward, in an all-day rain. The 
First Division took the advance, while the Third was in the cen- 
ter, and the Fourth in the rear. Our regiment was rear guard 
of the corps, and did not get into bivouac till 10 p. m. The 
corps upon going into bivouac late this afternoon threw 
up fortifications, for we are twenty miles in advance of the left 
wing, and have to lie here till they catch up. The Fifteenth Corps 
is away off to our right. 

MARCH, 1865. 

Wednesday, 1st — March came in with an all-day drizzling 
rain. We remained in bivouac all day. Large foraging parties 
were sent out, but did not succeed in getting anything, not even 



258 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(March, 1865) 

enough for the teams and the men that went out. The country 
is very thinly settled and the people here can hardly raise enough 
to live on. The soil is very sandy and the country is very heav- 
ily timbered, the trees being mostly pitch pine. There are some 
large turpentine camps about here. 

Thursday, 2d — Still in camp. It was misty all day. One of 
our rebel prisoners was shot today at corps headquarters. He 
had to pay the penalty for the rebels' treatment of one of 
our men, from Company H, Thirty-fourth Illinois, whom they 
held as a prisoner and shot without provocation. When the pris- 
oners at our headquarters were told that one of them had to pay 
the penalty, they drew lots, and it fell to a middle-aged man to 
die. The man was given time to write a letter to his family and 
then after bidding his comrades farewell, he was led out and shot. 

Friday, 3d — It is still raining. We left our dismal camp at 
7 a. m. and marched eleven miles, going into bivouac near Che- 
raw. The First Division of the Seventeenth Corps drove the 
rebels out of their works on Thompson creek and on through 
Cheraw and across the Great Pedee river. They captured seven- 
teen cannon, three thousand stand of small arms and a number 
of prisoners. Cheraw is quite a business town and had been a 
manufacturing center for the rebel army. It is at the head 
of navigation on the Great Pedee river and has a railroad run- 
ning to Charleston, South Carolina. 

Saturday, 4th — We remained in bivouac all day. The Fif- 
teenth Corps just came in on a road to our left and is to cross 
the Pedee ahead of the Seventeenth. The rebel skirmishers 
are just across the river and our skirmishers are keeping up a 
lively fusillade. Our engineers cannot lay the pontoons so long 
as the rebels are on the opposite bank of the river and the plan 
is to send a detachment above or below and cross the river after 
dark, and flank them. The foragers of the Seventeenth Corps 
were put in command of the colonel of the Ninth Illinois today and 
sent out on a raid to Society Hill, fifteen miles south of Cheraw on 
the railroad. They captured and destroyed two trains of cars 
loaded with ammunition and provisions, and then tore up the 
tracks for some miles and burned everything in town that would 
burn. 



RAID THROUGH SOUTH CAROLINA 259 

(March, 1865) 

Sunday, $th — The First Division of the Seventeenth Corps 
crossed the river last evening after dark and drove the rebels 
back. Our engineers then laid the pontoons and the troops be- 
gan crossing at once. Our brigade passed through the town and 
crossed the river at noon and then continued our march for seven 
miles, when we went into bivouac for the night. Cheraw was 
nearly all burned to the ground before our men left it. The 
rebels burned the bridge across the river and upon evacuating 
the town set fire to it, and our men burned what remained. We 
are in a rich country again and forage is plentiful. 

Monday, 6th — Pleasant weather. We started at Q a. m., 
marched eight miles and went into bivouac near Bennettsville. 
We are marching through a fine country and have plenty of for- 
age. There are no rebels in front of us at present. We are 
nearing the state line now between South Carolina and North 
Carolina, and our army has certainly made a wide path of desola- 
tion through the state. 1 

Tuesday, "jth — Weather is still pleasant. We started at 9 a. 
m. and marching eight miles, went into bivouac for the night. 
This is a fine country and we found plenty of forage again today. 
Negroes are putting in the crops, mostly corn. We saw some 
fine fields of winter wheat. There is very little cotton put in here. 



J In our march through South Carolina every man seemed to think 
that he had a free hand to burn any kind of property he could put the 
torch to. South Carolina paid the dearest penalty of any state in the 
Confederacy, considering- the short time the Union army was in the 
state, and it was well that she should; for, if South Carolina had not 
been so persistent in going to war, there would have been no war for 
years to come. — A. G. D. 



260 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(March. 1865) 



Chapter XXIII. 
March Through North Carolina. The Last Campaign. John- 
ston's Surrender to Sherman. March 8-April 26. 

Wednesday, 8th — We started at 9 a. m. and marched seven- 
teen miles, going into camp for the night at Floral College, North 
Carolina. It rained all day and the roads became very muddy. 
The First Brigade on guard with the supply trains is in camp 
about six miles in the rear. We entered the state of North Car- 
olina about 10 a. m. and received orders that there should be no 
burning of property ; that any soldier caught in the act of starting 
a fire should be shot on the spot. 1 

Thursday, gth — It is still raining. The army started at 8 a. 
m. Companies C, D and E of the Eleventh Iowa were sent back 
to town on provost guard, to see that nothing was burned, unti 1 
the First Division should come up. Our division is on the main 
road. The First and Third Divisions are on roads to our right, 
and the Fifteenth Corps is off on our left. We marched twelve 
miles today. 

Friday, 10th — Started on our march again at 7 a. m. and made 
twelve miles today. It is still raining and the creeks and swamps 
are all overflowing. There was no show of keeping our clothing 
dry, for besides the rain, we had to wade some thirteen creeks 
and sloughs, some of them waist deep. This is a most God-for- 
saken stretch of country, and there is only now and then a small 
farm. I can't understand how anybody could live here ; in fact, 
the citizens have all left their homes. 

Saturday, nth — It is clear again and quite pleasant. We 
were off at 7 a. m. and marched twelve miles. Went into bivouac 
within a mile of Fayetteville. Our division had the honor of 
driving the rebels out of town, but the Fourteenth Corps was 
placed on garrison duty. All of Sherman's forces, the four corps, 
are concentrating at this place to cross the Cape Fear river. For- 
age is very scarce, the country being so very poor, but we hope 
soon to strike rich country where we can fill our haversacks. 

'This was a proper order, for the war was about over, and the order 
was generally respected. — A. G. D. 



THE LAST CAMPAIGN 261 

(March, 1865) 

Sunday; 12th — We remained in onr bivouac all day, the boys 
putting in the time in mending their shoes and clothing. The 
Fifteenth Corps came in today. The engineers laid the pontoons 
across the river. Fayetteville is just across on the east bank of 
the river, and is at the head of navigation, ninety miles from 
Wilmington on the coast. A boat came up this morning from 
Wilmington. Our men did not burn much property in town, 
only the public buildings were fired. 

Monday, ijth — The Seventeenth Corps crossed the river this 
morning and marched out about a mile, where we halted till late 
in the afternoon, when we moved forward three miles and went 
into bivouac for the night. Three more boats came up from 
Wilmington today. They are to be loaded with the refugees and 
contrabands gathered up by Sherman's army. 

Tuesday, 14th — I went out early this morning with the for- 
aging party of our division, in search of feed for the horses and 
mules. We came to a rich plantation about four miles out, with 
corncribs well filled, and in a short time we had the wagons loaded. 
Some of us had been put to loading the wagons while others went 
to get the chickens and other things. After the boys had caught 
and loaded all the chickens and upset fully a hundred beehives, 
they called out, "The rebels are coming!" We had just finished 
loading the wagons, but that call was enough to frighten the 
teamsters, and they put the whip to the mules, starting off on a 
dead run. The road ran through a heavy timber, but it was wide 
and perfectly level, and they galloped the teams the whole way 
back to our bivouac. It was every fellow for himself, and I 
never ran faster in my life. A commissioner from Cornell Col- 
lege 5 was in camp today for the purpose of raising money to ed- 
ucate the orphan children of soldiers and sailors. Our company 
raised $229.00. 

Wednesday, 13th — W'e were on the move at 7 a. m. and 
marched ten miles today. Went into bivouac near the Black 
river. The section of the country through which we passed to- 
day is almost one continuous swamp and heavily timbered. There 
is a small farm now and then. The corps took different roads 
and so we all got into bivouac earlier. Our division, the Fourth, 
had the center. W r hen the road was wide enough the infantry 

'College at Mt. \ r ernon, Iowa. 



262 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(March, 1865) 

would march at one side, allowing the artillery and teams to oc- 
cupy the roadway. This made it equal to a double column, and 
we could move faster and save time. 

Thursday, 16th — We had a thunderstorm yesterday at 2 p. m. 
and today we had an all-day rain. We marched twelve miles in 
the mud, our division taking the lead. Our regiment crossed the 
South river after dark, on the stringers of the bridge, the rebels 
having burned a part of the bridge. The engineers have to lay 
the pontoons for the artillery and teams to cross. The country 
is very poor and forage is scarce. 

Friday, 17th — Our division is still in the lead. We started at 
7 a. m. and marched fifteen miles. Our regiment was train guard 
and we did not get into bivouac until midnight. The rebels are 
in our front and hard to drive ; their main force, however, is on 
our left, in front of the Fourteenth and Twentieth Corps. It was 
clear today and quite pleasant. 

Saturday, 18th — We started at 8 a. m. and marched twelve 
miles, the Third Division being in the advance. We had to cross 
a swamp four miles wide and the water in places was knee-deep. 
Our progress was slow because we had to lay a great deal of 
corduroy so that the artillery and trains could pass over the deep 
holes. A great many of the men are almost barefooted and their 
clothing is nearly worn out. The men on forage take everything in 
the clothing line that is fit to wear, regardless of the cut or color. 
Some have on white vests and straw hats, and occasionally one 
can be seen in the ranks wearing a swallow-tailed coat and white 
vest. This morning our men drew a few pairs of shoes, brought 
from Washington. 

Sunday, 19th — We were off at 7 a. m. and marched ten miles 
through fine country. The roads were good and no swamps to 
cross. They had good crops here last year, and there was plenty 
of forage, so this evening we had our haversacks replenished. 
There was some heavy cannonading off on the left in front 
of the Twentieth Corps. The weather is fine. 

Monday, 20th — Reveille sounded at 1 a. m. At 3 o'clock with 
the Fifteenth Corps in front, we took up the line of march and 
moved forward twenty-one miles, where we found the rebels 
fortified on the west side of the Neuse river near Bentonville. 



THE LAST CAMPAIGN 263 

(March, 1865) 

We drove them back inside of their works, and forming a line 
of battle moved up as close to their works as we could, and then 
built a line of rifle pits. We left our wagon trains far in the rear 
under guard. The rebels' force is reported to be about thirty- 
five thousand men under the command of General Johnston. 
General Schofield has been moving up this way from the coast, 
and we just learned that he reached Goldsboro and took posses- 
sion of the place this afternoon. We are informed that General 
Sherman will now open up communications from Goldsboro 
southeast to Newbern. 

Tuesday, 21st — We advanced our line of battle a half mile, 
driving in the rebel skirmishers. Our loss was quite large in 
killed and wounded. All our artillery was brought into action 
and at times this afternoon the roar of cannon was fearful ; but 
the rebels made no reply. Their loss in killed and wounded was 
large. There was some hard skirmishing on both sides. The 
Fifth and Twenty-fourth Corps under command of General Ord 
joined us this afternoon, thus reinforcing General Sherman's 
army. The army is in fine spirits for all that the men are poorly 
clothed and short of rations ; but anything that General Sherman 
wants done now, they are willing to do. All know that when we 
gain this battle, we will have a short rest and a chance to draw 
some clothing, besides securing rations, for forage is scarce. 

Wednesday, 22d — Companies E and F of the Eleventh Iowa 
were sent out at 6 o'clock this morning on the skirmish line, but 
there were no rebels to be seen in our front. They left dur- 
ing the night, crossing the Neuse river, and retreating towards 
Raleigh, the state capital. Kilpatrick's cavalry pursued them for 
several miles. The rebels fought in the pine woods, which were 
set on fire by the shells from our artillery. The fire compelled 
them to fall back, and they left their dead and wounded on the 
battlefield, to the mercy of the flames ; the clothing was entirely 
burned off some of the bodies. The loss was very light on both 
sides. We remained all day in bivouac at the rifle pits, while the 
Fourteenth and Twentieth Corps moved back towards Goldsboro. 

Thursday, 23d — An order from General Sherman was read 
this morning, stating that the campaign was over, 1 and that we 

'This battle proved to be our last, and it is known as the battle of 
Bentonville. We took part later in the surrender of Johnston's army 
at Raleigh, N. C, but there was no battle then, or before the surrender, 
only a little skirmishing. — A. G. D. 



264 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(March, 1865) 

should now prepare to take a short rest. We left the rifle 
pits at 7 o'clock, marched fifteen miles, and bivouacked within five 
miles of Goldsboro. Our army is concentrating there, and we 
are to get supplies, rest up, and prepare for another campaign. 

Friday,, 24th — We left bivouac at 7 a. m. and marched to the 
Neuse river, which we crossed near Goldsboro on a pontoon 
bridge. As we passed through town, we were reviewed by Gen- 
eral Sherman, passing him by platoon form, and marching to mar- 
tial music. The men looked pretty hard after such a long raid, 
ragged and almost barefooted ; but we felt repaid, for we had 
accomplished the task which we had set out to do when we left 
Savannah. We went into camp north of town just outside of 
the town limits. Our corps, the Seventeenth, occupies the right 
center and the Twentieth Corps the left center, while the Fif- 
teenth Corps occupies the right and the Fourteenth Corps the left. 
General Schofield's army, the Twenty-third, Twenty-fourth 
and Twenty-fifth Corps, is going into camp in the vicinity of 
Clinton. 

Saturday, 25th — We remained in camp all day. Large forag- 
ing parties were sent out to get feed for the mules and horses. 
Our train loaded with supplies returned from Kingston, down on 
the river. A construction train came in from Kingston, repair- 
ing the railroad. The Twenty-third Corps from Schofield's army 
has been moved to Kingston. All the troops are in camp in and 
around Goldsboro. and it will be but a short time until all our 
supplies will be brought in from the coast by the railroad. 
The Thirteenth Iowa received three hundred recruits today. 

Sunday, 26th — Pleasant weather. The Eleventh Iowa was 
sent out with a foraging train to get corn and fodder for the 
mules and horses of our brigade. They had to go a distance of 
thirteen miles to get the feed. I being on camp duty did not go. 
A train of cars came in from Newbern loaded with supplies for 
the army, and our quartermaster received some clothing for the 
regiment. 

Monday, 27th — We cleaned up our camp today, and are build- 
ing "ranches" with the expectation of staying here a while. We 
have a fine camp ground and plenty of water. Large foraging 
parties are sent out for corn and fodder. All is quiet in the front. 
No news of any importance. 



THE LAST CAMPAIGN 265 

(March, 1865) 

Tuesday, 28th— We have had pleasant weather for several 
days, but today it is cloudy, with some rain. The men drew new 
clothing today just as fast as the quartermaster could receive the 
supply from the general quartermaster. Nearly every man in the 
regiment is drawing a full suit, out and out. Some of the men 
have to get new knapsacks, canteens and haversacks, while all 
are getting new shoes. I drew a pair of pants and a blouse, a 
pair of drawers and a pair of socks. Our regiment out on dress 
parade has the appearance of a new regiment. 

Wednesday, 29th— -It is quite rainy. We are now in spring 
quarters. Some of the boys in the regiment get teams from the 
quartermaster, go out to some vacant house or barn, and get what 
lumber they want to build "ranches." J. D. Moore and William 
Green went out this morning with a team and brought in a load 
of lumber, and then this afternoon we built a small house for our 
mess of four— Moore, Green, Jason Sparks and myself. 

Thursday, 30th— It is quite stormy and rainy today. All is 
quiet in camp, and there is no news of importance. 

Friday, 31st— Cloudy and windy today. We are ordered to 
have company drill four hours a day and dress parade at 5 o'clock 
in the evening. This is all the duty we have to perform ; do not 
even have camp guard or provost duty. We have no picket duty 
to do, as the Twentieth Corps is out in front of us. We are 
drawing full rations now and have plenty of clothing. 
This is fine soldiering to what it was wading swamps in South 
Carolina. Nothing more for this month. 

APRIL, 1865. 

Saturday, ist—Tht weather is pleasant. No news of any im- 
portance. The camp here is the best we have had since leaving 
Vicksburg. Our "ranch" is eight feet square, boarded up seven 
feet high, and has a gable roof of the proper pitch covered over 
with our rubber ponchos, nailed to the rafters ; it will protect us 
from the worst rainstorm. Our bunks are raised two feet from 
the ground. We have a door to the "ranch," made of boards, and 
the latch-string hangs out. 

Sunday, 2d— Regular camp routine is the order. We had 
company inspection this morning besides two hours' drill. A 



266 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(April, 1865) 

great many of us attended church in town this morning, also in 
the evening. 

Monday, 3d — Fine weather continues, and camp routine the 
same. We are enjoying our fine camp ground, and to prevent 
our becoming stale, we have to keep up regular drill for our next 
campaign. 

Tuesday, 4th — The quartermaster distributed new clothing 
today. I drew a hat, a pair of shoes and a pair of socks. We 
are enjoying full rations again, and also our new clothing. We 
no longer have to search our haversacks for a crumb of hardtack. 

Wednesday, 5th — The regimental chaplains are occupying the 
pulpits of the different churches of Goldsboro and conducting 
nightly meetings. A large number of the boys are attending and 
a great many are coming forward and professing the name of the 
Lord. May the work continue until all have made the profession. 

Thursday, 6th — News comes that General Grant has taken 
Richmond with five thousand prisoners and five hundred pieces 
of artillery. We also hear that Mobile has been taken with twen- 
ty thousand prisoners and a large number of guns. Glorious 
news ! 

Friday, Jth — Weather still pleasant. Company drill two hours 
a day. Our brigade came out in review and was inspected by 
General Smith. A statement was read to us by the assistant ad- 
jutant general of our brigade, stating our loss at Richmond, and 
also that of the enemy. Our loss was seven thousand killed and 
two thousand taken prisoners, while that of the enemy was forty 
thousand in killed, wounded and prisoners. 

Saturday, 8th — All is quiet. Sherman's army received orders 
to march on the 10th. Our wagon trains are loaded with thirty- 
five days' rations, and we are to carry five days' rations in our 
haversacks. The news is so good that all are anxious to move 
at once. The boys are all happy, thinking that this will be our 
last campaign. Our brigade received orders to clean cloth- 
ing and accouterments for regimental inspection. 

Sunday, 9th — Very pleasant weather. Our division was in- 
spected this forenoon by General Smith. Two regiments in the 
division did not pass inspection and were sent back to their 
"ranches" with the order to get themselves up in better style and 



THE LAST CAMPAIGN 267 

(April, 1865) 

come back at 4 o'clock for inspection. The Eleventh Iowa was 
complimented for its neat appearance. We were ordered to come 
over to General Smith's headquarters at 5 o'clock in the evening 
to hold our dress parade. The officers of the two disgraced reg- 
iments were ordered to appear at his headquarters to see our reg- 
iment go through the manual of arms on our dress parade. 
We returned to our "ranches" much elated over the high com- 
pliments we had received from our division commander. We set 
to work at once preparing for our dress parade, not even taking 
time to cook our noon-day mess. A number of the boys were 
sent down town to buy all the white gloves and white collars they 
could find, besides shoe blacking and shoe brushes, and then we 
spent all the time till the parade in fixing ourselves up. We went 
over to the general's headquarters looking our best, and every 
move ordered by our colonel was nicely executed in the presence of 
the line officers of the other two regiments. 1 

Monday, 10th — Had an all-day rain. The entire army moved 
forward today, some starting at 8 a. m. We packed our knap- 
sacks early this morning, but did not start until 10 o'clock. While 
we were waiting, some of the Twenty-fourth Iowa Regiment 
which had arrived at Goldsboro came over to our "ranches" for a 
visit. We boys had a visit from Homer Curtis of Company C, 
Twenty-fourth Iowa. We marched ten miles today. The Fifteenth 
and Seventeenth Corps form the right wing, the Twenty-third 
Corps, in command of General Schofield, the center, and the Four- 
teenth and Twentieth Corps form the left wing. Some heavy can- 
nonading off on the left. 

Tuesday, nth — Weather quite pleasant. We started at 6 a. 
m. and marched twelve miles. Our march was very slow, the 
road being through one continuous swamp. We had to lay cor- 
duroy the whole way. Our division, the First, was in front of 
the corps, and there was some skirmishing in our front. 

Wednesday, 12th — We started at 8 a. m. and marched five 
miles, all the way through one continuous swamp. News came 
to us this forenoon that General Lee had surrendered his entire 
army to General Grant. It was glorious news. We forgot all 

'The next day when we started for Raleigh, one of those two regi- 
ments having marched out on the road ahead of our regiment, was or- 
dered to halt while ours passed to the front. While we were marching 
by they could not find words strong enough to express their contempt 
for us. — A. G. D. 



268 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(April, 1865) 

about our hard marching, and the whole brigade commenced sing- 
ing songs — "John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave, 
As we go marching on !" 

Thursday, ijth — It rained nearly all day and I never saw it 
rain harder than it did this forenoon. We left our bivouac at 5 
a. m. and marched eighteen miles. The roads are good now. The 
left wing of our army marched into Raleigh, the capital of North 
Carolina, the rebels having evacuated the place last night. 

Friday, 14th — We started at 5 a. m. and marched twenty-one 
miles. We crossed the Neuse river at noon and passed through 
Raleigh about dusk, going into bivouac four miles west of town. 
Raleigh is a very nice place, and not a building was burned. Our 
division had the advance, the Eleventh and Thirteenth Iowa being 
on train guard. 

Saturday, 15th — We started at 7 a. m., marched only four 
miles and went into camp again. News came from the front that 
Johnston had stopped fighting for the purpose of surrendering his 
army to General Sherman. It rained hard all day, but we don't 
mind that when hearing such glorious news as the surrender of 
Johnston. The Third and First Divisions remained in camp. 

Sunday, 16th — The weather is warm and pleasant. We re- 
mained in bivouac all day. All is quiet in the front and both 
armies are resting under a flag of truce. Neither army is al- 
lowed to change its position while the agreement is in force. 

Monday, 17th — News came that Abe Lincoln 1 had been as- 
sassinated at Washington, in a theater, also Secretary Seward 
and his son. 2 When the news came of the death of the president, 
the safety guards, placed at private houses to protect the fami- 
lies from violence, were relieved. General Sherman at once de- 
manded an answer from Johnston by tomorrow, in regard to the 
surrender. Charles Correll of our company was put under arrest 
for saying that the president should have been shot three years 
ago. Correll has only been with the company since the 28th of 
last September, and then had been hired to enlist for a big sum 
of money. I went out on picket this morning. 

'That a soldier should speak of Lincoln in such familiar terms was 
but natural. It was in no sense disrespectful. All through the war the 
President was spoken of as "Abe" Lincoln. — Ed. 

2 This shows again the unreliable character of the first reports. — Ed. 



THE LAST CAMPAIGN 269 

(April, 1865) 

Tuesday, 18th — General Sherman went out to the front on the 
cars, and the two generals agreed upon the terms for the surren- 
der of Johnston's army. Both armies are to go into camp and 
remain until the terms of surrender have been approved by the 
War Department at Washington. The Union army is to go into 
camp in the vicinity of Raleigh, and the rebel army in the 
vicinity of Chapel Hill. I came in from picket this morning, hav- 
ing been out on the picket line for twenty-four hours. 

Wednesday, 19th — We struck our tents about noon and 
marched back about five miles, toward Raleigh, going into camp 
within three miles of town. We laid out our camp in regular 
order for the purpose of building small houses and covering them 
with our shelter tents. 

Thursday, 20th — It rained some today. We spent the day in 
raising our tents. There is great rejoicing in camp. Many think 
that peace is made, and that in a few days we shall likely start 
for home. 

Friday, 21st — Rain again today. All the men in the five dif- 
ferent corps are at work fixing up their camp grounds. The army 
feels very sad and sorrowful over the death of the president. 

Saturday, 22d — It is quite pleasant today. I went out with a 
team after a load of lumber for our company. We pulled down 
an old, vacant barn. No property is being burned and destroyed 
in this state, and only vacant buildings are torn down to get lum- 
ber with which to build "ranches." There is a large amount of land 
lying idle around here. The field where we have our camp has 
not been farmed for two or three years. But there are some fine 
wheat fields here and the wheat is just heading out. We 
have a fine camp ; all of the tents are raised now, and our 
brigade has shade trees set in rows throughout our camp. There 
being no trees, we went to the timber and cut down small bushy 
pine trees for the purpose, setting them in the ground. Our 
camp looked so fine that the staff artist of Harper's Weekly took 
a picture of it for the paper. 

Sunday, 23d — We had regimental inspection at 10 a. m. and 
this afternoon at 2 o'clock our division was reviewed by General 
Smith. The division came out in good style. 

Monday, 24th — The Seventeenth Army Corps marched to 
Raleigh this afternoon and was reviewed by Lieutenant-General 



270 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(April, 1865) 

Grant and Major-General Sherman. Their reviewing stand was 
in front of the governor's mansion. The army was glad to see 
their old commander once more. We received orders to move for- 
ward in the morning, since the terms of the surrender of Johns- 
ton's army were not approved by the War Department at Wash- 
ington. This is not good news for us, but we are hoping that 
Johnston will surrender without more fighting. 

Tuesday, 25th — We broke camp again and at 7 a. m. started 
to move forward, our division, the Fourth, taking up the rear. 
We marched six miles and went into camp for the night. All is 
quiet in the front. Deserters from Johnston's army are still com- 
ing in from the front. They declare that they do not want to do 
any more fighting, for they know that their cause is lost. They 
also expressed the belief that Johnston would surrender without 
fighting. 

Wednesday, 26th — The weather is pleasant. We remained in 
camp all day. Lieutenant-General Grant and Major-General Sher- 
man went to the front early this morning. The report came late 
this afternoon that Johnston had surrendered his entire army to 
Sherman. Great rejoicing in camp! Johnston is to retain one- 
seventh of his small arms until his men start for their homes. 




FROM A PHOTOGRAPH OF SERGEANT DOWNING 
TAKEN AT LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, JUST BE- 
FORE THE MUSTERING OUT, JULY, 1865. 



PEACEFUL MARCH THROUGH VIRGINIA 271 

(April, 1865) 



Chapter XXIV. 

Peaceful March Through Virginia and the Grand Review at 

Washington. April 27-May 27. 

Thursday, 2fth — We returned to our old camp just vacated 
and put our shelter tents over the old "ranches" again. By i p. m. 
the tents were all filled, we were at home once more and enjoying 
ourselves. The boys are now waiting for orders to start for their 
homes, but we are wondering which way we will go. Some think 
we will have to go back to the coast and take ship for New Or- 
leans ; but I guess we will leave that to General Sherman — he has 
never yet made a mistake in leading us. 

Friday, 28th — The weather continues fine. We spent the day 
in washing and cleaning our clothing. We received orders to 
start for Washington at 8 o'clock in the morning, going by way 
of Richmond, Virginia. Great rejoicing in camp at the thought 
of going home — to come back no more. The report is that the 
four corps under Sherman, with Kilpatrick's cavalry, are going 
North, while the Twenty-third Corps under Schofield will remain 
at Raleigh until all of Johnston's men leave for their homes. He 
will take over the munitions of war surrendered by Johnston. 

Saturday, 29th — Reveille sounded shortly after midnight and 
we had our knapsacks packed long before daylight. Some of 
the boys were so happy and excited that they did not sleep much 
during the night. At 7 o'clock we took up the march, stepping 
to music as we left our camp. We crossed the Neuse river about 
noon and after marching twelve miles for the day, went into 
bivouac. By order of General Howard we are to lay over here 
until Monday, when we will continue our journey. The Fifteenth 
Corps is taking a road to our right. General Sherman's head- 
quarters wagons are going through with the Seventeenth Corps. 
The Thirty-second Illinois Regiment was taken from the Iowa 
Brigade and was brigaded with the First Brigade of the Second 
Division of the Seventeenth Corps. Our brigade is the First 
Brigade of the Fourth Division of the Seventeenth Corps. 



272 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(May, 18 65) 

Sunday, joth — Remained in bivouac all day. We had a heavy 
rain last night, but it is clear and warm today. A man from the 
Fifteenth Iowa preached in our camp at early candlelight this 
evening. 

MAY, 1863. 

Monday, 1st — Our corps, the Seventeenth, took up the line of 
march at 6 a. m. and marched fifteen miles, going into bivouac at 
about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. No foraging parties are allowed 
on this march, and no railroad or any kind of property is to be 
destroyed. The army, by divisions, is to go into bivouac when con- 
venient about 3 p. m. each day, and about three miles apart, so 
that the trains and artillery can get into their corrals before dark. 
We passed through Forestville and Wake Forest, towns a mile 
apart, at about noon today. We have good roads and fine weather 
for marching. 

Tuesday, 2d — Weather pleasant. We started at 6:30 a. m. 
and marched seventeen miles today. We crossed the Tar river 
at 10 this morning, and passed through some very fine country 
this afternoon. There is nothing new. 

Wednesday, 3d — We started at 5 a. m. and marched twenty 
miles today. Crops look fine. There are a great many rebel 
soldiers throughout the country here, who have just re- 
turned from the armies of Johnston and Lee. Our army, for the 
first time, is passing through the country without destroying- 
property. 

Thursday, 4th— We started at 8 a. m., marched four miles, 
and then lay over until 6 p. m.. when we moved on four miles 
farther, passing the Third Division, and went into bivouac within 
a mile of the Roanoke river. The Fifteenth Corps is in advance 
of us and their rear crossed the river this evening. Our trains 
are all crossing the river tonight. Weather still pleasant. 

Friday, 5th — It is quite warm. We left our bivouac at 3 a. 
m. and by 6 o'clock .had crossed the Roanoke river. It is a fine 
stream. One of our drivers had an exciting experience in cross- 
ing the river last night, over the pontoon bridge. When he reached 
the middle of the bridge his leading mules became frightened at 



PEACEFUL MARCH THROUGH VIRGINIA 273 

(May, 1865) 

the cracks between the boards and turned right around, upsetting 
the whole thing, and the six mules, wagon and all went overboard. 
When the driver saw what was going to happen, quick as a flash. 
he dropped down upon the bridge between the wheel mules and 
the wagon, thus saving himself. The mules and wagon were never 
seen again, as the Roanoke is very deep. We crossed the State line 
into old Virginia at 6:30 this morning. At 1 p. m. we crossed the 
Meherrin river and after marching twenty-six miles for the day 
went into bivouac. We have fine roads. News came that the 
two men who killed the president and stabbed Seward had been 
shot. All is quiet. 

Saturday, 6th — We started at 5 a. m. and soon struck the 
Boydton plank road, which was quite good except at places, where 
it was a poor makeshift of a road. We marched twenty-five 
miles and went into bivouac for the night. I was sick all day and 
in order to keep up with the command I had to have the doctor 
order my knapsack and accouterments carried for me. Weather 
fine. 

Sunday, yth — Started at the usual time and marched eighteen 
miles today. We bivouacked in some old camps which our men 
had built during the siege of Petersburg, within two miles of 
town. I rode all the way today with the wagon train. A 
part of the Fifteenth Corps came in ahead of the Seven- 
teenth Corps, but our corps beat the Fifteenth into Petersburg- 
after all their running to beat us. The two generals in command 
of the Fifteenth and Seventeenth Army Corps started out, after 
crossing the Roanoke river, to see which corps could reach Pet- 
ersburg first. So while one brigade of the Fifteenth Corps came 
into Petersburg first, the entire Seventeenth Corps arrived in 
town ahead of the Fifteenth. 

Monday, 8th — We started at 7 a. m., and while passing 
through Petersburg by platoons, were reviewed by General Ord, 
in command at Petersburg. The Fifteenth Corps had to pass 
through the city in our rear. We crossed the Appomattox river 
at 9 a. m. and went into bivouac six miles out from Petersburg, 
making a march of only eight miles for the day. Petersburg is a 
lively place ; business is going on regularly. The people are at 
work repairing the damages done by the war, and are even erect- 
ing new buildings. It is a fine city with beautiful country around, 



274 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(May, 1865) 

although badly cut up with fortifications. The town was strong- 
ly fortified. 

Tuesday, pth — We started at 3 o'clock this morning and 
marched fifteen miles, going into bivouac on the banks of the 
James river near Manchester. Sherman's entire army is arriving 
at this place and will lie here three or four days, after which we 
are to start for Washington City to be mustered out of the service. 

Wednesday, 10th — Remained in camp all day. General Sher- 
man's cavalry corps, under Kilpatrick, passed here on their way 
to Washington City. We are camped in plain view of the city 
of Richmond, once the capital of the so-called Southern Confed- 
eracy, but now desolate, its defenders having fled. It is partly 
burnt, the rebels having set it on fire before they left. 1 The 
weather is quite cool. 

Thursday, nth — The Fourteenth and Twentieth Army Corps 
started on their way for Washington City. Our corps remained 
in camp all day. The sick were all sent down to the wharf to go 
around by boat to Washington. The doctor had my name listed 
for that route, and I started to go, but got a release. I told the 
doctor that I should much prefer to march through with my com- 
pany, if he would have my knapsack and accouterments carried 
for me in the wagons. He assured me that he would have them 
seen to and told me that I could rejoin my company, for which 
I am very thankful. 

Friday, 12th — It rained very hard all night. We left our 
bivouac at 4 o'clock this morning and at 6 o'clock passed through 
Richmond." The town looks fine and business seems to be 
good. We marched ten miles and went into bivouac on the 
Chickahominy river. The entire army is taking the same route 
and thus we cannot move fast. 

Saturday, 13th — Started at 10 a. m. and marched twelve miles 
today. We went into bivouac for the night near Hanover Court 
House. It is quite swampy and the roads are very bad, on ac- 

'The burning of Richmond by the Confederates seems so uncalled 
for. It was certainly very short-sighted, since they could not help 
knowing that their cause was lost. — A. G. D. 

2 The Union general in command at Richmond requested General 
Sherman to have his army pass in review through Richmond, but Sher- 
man flatly refused, declaring that he would march his army around the 
city before he would do anything of the kind, and Sherman had his 
way as to how we should pass through. — A. G. D. 



PEACEFUL MARCH THROUGH VIRGINIA 275 

(May, 1865) 

count of so much rain the last few days. The country through 
which we passed today is considerably cut up by fortifications and 
badly used up on account of the two armies passing back and 
forth so often over the same roads and fields. The citizens are 
back on their farms and are at work again. Details of our men 
are stationed all along the way, guarding their homes and prop- 
erty, to keep the army from destroying things. When the army 
gets past, the guards fall into line at the rear. 

Sunday, 14th — It is quite warm. We remained in bivouac 
until 1 p. m., when we started and covered ten miles before night. 
We crossed the Pamunky river at 2 o'clock, after which the army 
divided, in order to get better roads. The Fourteenth and Seven- 
teenth Corps took a road on the left, while the Fifteenth and the 
Twentieth marched on a road to the right. The roads through 
the lowlands are fearfully muddy. 

Monday, ijth — We left bivouac at 5 o'clock this morning and 
marched eighteen miles. Went into bivouac for the night near 
the Fay river. The weather is quite warm and the roads are very 
bad. 

Tuesday, 16th — Started at 4 a. m. and marched twenty miles 
today. We passed through Fredericksburg at 1 p. m., crossing 
the Rappahannock river at that place. On coming into Freder- 
icksburg we marched along that stone wall by the bend of the 
river and looked down upon the lowland below where so many 
of our boys were marched to their death — at that terrible battle. 
It made me shudder to look down upon that horrible place. Fred- 
ericksburg seemed filled with Johnnies just returned from the 
war. At 5 o'clock we crossed the Poe river and went into bivouac. 

Wednesday, 17th — We started at 4 o'clock this morning and 
marched thirty miles today. It was very hot and a great many 
of the boys gave out. Our division led the advance. We passed 
through some very fine country and the crops are looking fine. 

Thursday, 18th — Some of the troops started quite early this 
morning, but our division left later, taking up the rear today. We 
marched fifteen miles and went into bivouac after crossing the 
Aeon river, wading it just below the mouth of Bull Run creek, 
which empties into it. There are some fortifications here, it 
being near where the battles of Bull Run were fought. 



276 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(May, 1865) 

Friday, igth — Started at 10 a. m. and after marching fifteen 
miles, went into camp within four miles of Alexandria, Virginia. 
Sherman's entire army arrived today and all, including the ar- 
tillery, which we kept with the infantry all the way, are in camp 
near Alexandria. 

Saturday, 20th — There are three armies in camp here, the 
Army of the Potomac under General Meade, and the Armies of 
the Tennessee and of Georgia, both under General Sherman. We 
received orders that the Army of the Potomac would be reviewed 
by Lieutenant-General Grant on the 23d inst., and the armies 
under General Sherman on the 24th. The review is to take place 
in Washington City. It rained all day and it is very disagreeable 
in our camp on the commons of Alexandria. The firewood is so 
wet that it is almost impossible to get a fire to cook our food. 

Sundax, 21st — It is still raining. We remained in our bivouac 
all day. Some of the troops are moving toward Washington for 
the grand review. News came that Jefferson Davis had been cap- 
tured by General Wilson at a small place in Georgia, called Irwm- 
ville, in the county of Irwin. 1 

Monday, 22d — It is quite warm. Still in camp, and there's 
nothing of importance. We had company inspection at 2 o'clock 
this afternoon. 

Tuesday, 23d — We started at 8 a. m. and by 10 o'clock had 
passed through Old Alexandria. We went into bivouac within 
three miles of Washington City. The Army of the Potomac was 
reviewed by the president of the United' States and Lieutenant 
General Grant. Sherman's army is to be reviewed tomorrow. 

Wednesday, 24th — This is a very pleasant day, for which we 
are all thankful. We left for Washington City at 8 o'clock, and 
crossing the Potomac river over Long Bridge, marched up to the 
south side of the capitol. Our column was formed on the east 
side of the capitol, and at 9 o'clock commenced to move forward 
past the reviewing stand. The Army of the Tennessee was in 
the advance, with the Army of Georgia following. General Sher- 
man was riding at the head of his army and he passed down the 
avenue amidst loud cheering. 

'The capture was effected on May 10th by Lieutenant-Colonel Pritch- 
ard, of the Fourth Michigan Cavalry, a detachment of General James H. 
Wilson's cavalry. — Ed. 



PEACEFUL MARCH THROUGH VIRGINIA 277 

(May, 1865) 

The following officers were in command of the different de- 
partments : Maj. Gen. O. O. Howard was in command of the 
Army of the Tennessee, Maj. Gen. John A. Logan commanding 
the Fifteenth Corps, and Maj. Gen. Frank P. Blair commanding 
the Seventeenth Corps : the Army of Georgia was in command 
of Maj. Gen. Slocnm, with Maj. Gen. J. C. Davis commanding 
the Fourteenth Corps, and Maj. Gen. Mower commanding the 
Twentieth Corps. 

The reviewing stand was built on the south side of the ave- 
nue, and the army was reviewed by the president of the United 
States and Lieutenant-General Grant, together with members of 
the president's cabinet. There were about one hundred thousand 
spectators along the avenue, and there was great cheering while 
the army was passing. At times there was hearty laughter, when 
some of Sherman's "bummers" would fall in behind their regi- 
ments, displaying some of the articles, as trophies, which they 
had taken when marching through Georgia and the Carolinas. 

We marched out across Rock creek about four miles north- 
west of the city and went into camp. Our knapsacks were 
brought around by the supply train. 

Thursday, 25th — It rained nearly all day — at times very hard. 
We remained in camp all day and nothing of any importance oc- 
curred. Now that we are so near Washington, the boys are wait- 
ing their turns for passes to go to the city, for since there are 
so many provost guards there, it would not be safe to go without 
a pass. 

Friday, 26th — It is raining again today, and the roads be- 
tween our camp and the city are almost impassable. We are 
poorly fixed here for washing and cleaning our clothing. The 
long march from Goldsboro, North Carolina, has been pretty 
hard on our clothes. We have not received any pay since No- 
vember, 1864, and some of the boys are getting pretty short of 
change. 

Saturday, 2jth — It is cloudy and still raining some. I re- 
ceived a pass and with six other boys of our company went to 
the city to spend the day. We went through some of the public 
buildings, the capitol, patent office and the treasury building ; they 
are fine buildings, all being built of marble. We viewed the 



278 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(May, 1865) 

White House from the street, and went through the Smithsonian 
Park, which is very beautiful indeed. 

The city is full of soldiers viewing the sights. But there is 
one thing which seems to cast a gloom over the city, and that is, 
that our beloved President Lincoln is not in the White House, that 
he was not here to greet us when we passed down Pennsylvania 
avenue, and that he had to be taken off by the hand of an assassin 
just when the war was over. 



THE MUSTERING OUT 279 

(May, 1865) 



• Chapter XXV. 

The Mustering Out. Return to the Harvest Field. May 28- 

July 31. 

Sunday, 28th — It is clear and pleasant today. We cleaned 
up our camping ground and put up our "ranches" in regular or- 
der. News came that the rebel general. Kirby Smith, 
commanding south and west of the Mississippi, had surrendered 
his army and the navy. 

Monday, 29th — It is reported in camp that the western men 
in General Sherman's army will be transferred to Louisville, Ken- 
tucky, by rail and by transports on the Ohio, there to be mus- 
tered out of the service. The veterans are anxious to get their 
discharge, for since the war is over we have no desire to remain 
in the army. 

Tuesday, 30th — The weather is pleasant and seems to be set- 
tled. There is nothing new. 

Wednesday, 31st — I got a pass and went to the city again. I 
spent most of the day in the patent office and in the Smithsonian 
Institution. I also got my watch repaired, which cost me $3.00. 
The city seems to be astir; new buildings are growing up all over 
and some of the Government buildings are being improved. Ex- 
cept for the presence of so many soldiers in the city, no one would 
think that a four years' war had just ended. The city needs 
most of all paved streets, for in wet weather they get very muddy 
and the city looks no better than a country town. The Wash- 
ington monument is not yet finished and from a distance it looks 
like a large smokestack with the top lacking. A part of the Fif- 
teenth Corps left for Louisville today, but all men whose time is 
out by October 1st were left here to be mustered out at once. All 
of the eastern men in Sherman's four corps are to remain in Wash- 
ington for the present. We had a temperance talk here this 
evening by William White Williams. I bought a medal of honor 
from him. Everything is going along fine. 



280 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

JUNE, 1865. 

Thursday, 1st — The weather is quite sultry. There is noth- 
ing of importance. Our camp duty is very light here. The 
ground is rough, and it would be impossible to find a place for 
a drill ground or even a parade ground. 

Friday, 2d — For the first time we saw mustered-out soldiers 
leaving for their homes today. 

Saturday, 3d — The weather continues quite hot. All men in 
our brigade whose time is out by the 1st of October were mus- 
tered out today and they turned over their guns and accouter- 
ments. Twelve boys from our company received their discharge 
and will be sent home. 

Sunday, 4th — We had company inspection this morning. The 
weather is very hot and we all remained close to our "ranches" to- 
day. We could not go to the city anyway, for without a pass it 
is difficult to get by the provost guard. 

Monday, 5th — This forenoon we had a temperance speech by 
Wm. Roach of Iowa at the headquarters bivouac of the Eleventh 
Iowa. Blank pledges of the Washington Temperance Society 
were distributed and a good many of the boys signed the blanks 
after they were filled out. 1 The men mustered out from our divi- 
sion, the Fourth, started for their homes this afternoon. The 
Government furnishes them transportation to their home states. 

Tuesday, 6th — We received orders to leave for Louisville, and 
drawing four days' rations turned over to the general quarter- 
master our regimental teams and wagons. We expect to start in 
the morning. The Third Division of our corps started this morn- 
ing, while the First Division left yesterday morning. 
The troops are leaving Washington as fast as the railroads 
can furnish cars ; they even bring in all the open cars not in use 
and crowd the soldiers onto them until there is no standing room. 
Large numbers of soldiers have already left for their homes, 
while others are going to different cities to remain in camp for a 
while. 

Wednesday, /th — The First Brigade of our division left at 5 
o'clock this morning for Louisville. Our brigade left camp at 3 
o'clock this afternoon and marched to the Baltimore & Ohio sta- 
tion, where we boarded the cars. We were put on open coal cars, 

'Mr. Downing was among- the number. — Ed. 



THE MUSTERING OUT 281 

(June, 1865) 

and there were so many to the car that we could not lie down and 
straighten out. 1 

Thursday, 8th — We left Washington City at i a. m. and ar- 
rived at the junction of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad about 8 
o'clock, where we changed to the line running through Harper's 
Ferry, which place we passed through. Our brigade is in the 
rear, the Eleventh Iowa being on the rear train, as we were the last 
regiment to leave Washington, D. C. The day was very hot and 
many of us being crowded on the open cars suffered terribly under 
the hot sun. We arrived at Cumberland about midnight, where we 
were served with hot coffee by the Sanitary Commission Society. 

Friday, gth — Our train ran all night, except for two or three 
times when we were standing on some sidetrack. Arriving at 
the foot of the Cumberland mountains our train was divided and 
another engine put on to pull one-half the train up the mountains. 
The train moved up very slowly, which gave us a chance to get 
off and cut some sassafras bushes, which we nailed on the sides 
of the cars for shade, for the sun was terribly hot, and the weath- 
er was very sultry. By noon we reached the top of the moun- 
tains. At 4 p. m. we arrived at Grafton, Virginia, where we re- 
ceived hot coffee from the Sanitary Commission. Here we left the 
Baltimore & Ohio road for Parkersburg, Virginia, over the Ohio & 
Virginia Railroad. W r e passed through a great many tunnels be- 
tween Grafton and Parkersburg, one being four thousand one 
hundred and thirty-eight feet long. The citizens along our route 
today seemed to be very loyal, cheering us all along the way. It 
reminded us of our home folks. 

Saturday, ioth — We had a heavy thunderstorm and rain early 
this morning, which made it very disagreeable for us on our open 
coal cars. We arrived at Parkersburg on the Ohio at daylight 
and left the cars. We cooked and ate our breakfast and then 
at about 8 o'clock went aboard the transports, and at 4 o'clock 
in the afternoon we left for Louisville, Kentucky. The Eleventh 
Iowa and the Thirty-second Illinois Regiments are on board the 
transport "Empress." We have a fleet of five boats, which be- 
sides the "Empress" are the "Nord," "America," "Revenue" and 
"Edinburgh," the headquarters boat. All the boats are heavily 

'It was nothing short of disgraceful for the Government to treat 
the soldiers that way after the war. The War Department should hav« 
taken more time to move the soldiers from the city. — A. G. D. 



282 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(June, 1865) 

loaded and we are crowded, but it is much more pleasant than 
in the open coal cars, and while the sun is hot, it is not so oppres- 
sive as on the railroad. 

Sunday, nth — Our boats ran all night. This is a bright sun- 
shiny Sunday. All went well and everything was quiet until 
about 4 p. m. when our boat struck a snag. We were nearing 
Manchester, Ohio, when we ran upon an old sunken stone barge, 
the bottom of our boat was torn off and it sank in less than three 
minutes. The captain, quick to see the danger of our going 
down in midstream, ordered the boat turned toward the Kentucky 
side of the river, and we were within twenty feet of the bank- 
when it sank stern first, going down at an angle of about forty- 
five degrees. In the excitement several men jumped overboard, 
but were rescued by men in canoes from Manchester. Tears were 
shed by the ladies of Manchester, thinking that, of course, a great 
many would be lost, but all were saved in one way or another. 
Regardless of the danger some of the boys on the sinking boat 
broke into the steward's pantry and filled their haversacks 
with the good things in store. Our regiment was now divided, 
and put on the other already crowded boats. Company E, 
with H, G and B, went upon the "Nord" — and as usual, Com- 
pany E got the hurricane deck. 

Monday, I2th — The boats ran all night, and we passed Cin- 
cinnati about i a. m. At daylight we landed at Ornod, Indiana, 
remaining there about two hours, till the fog lifted. We arrived 
at Louisville about 4 p. m., and disembarking, marched out about 
eight miles below town where we went into bivouac. This is a 
miserable place for the troops to camp, being very low, the next 
thing to a swamp, and heavily timbered ; we cannot remain here 
long without its resulting in a great deal of sickness. 

Tuesday, 13th — We had a thunder shower early this morning. 
The Eleventh Iowa signed the muster rolls this morning and we 
expect to get our pay in a few days. The Army of the Tennes- 
see is in camp in and around Louisville. The veterans are becom- 
ing very much dissatisfied, as they were expecting to be discharged 
as soon as the war was over, but there is no sign of their being 
discharged very soon ; besides that, we are kept in ignorance of it 
all. not knowing what they are going to do with us. Some of the 
boys think that we shall be sent down to Texas on duty, while 



(June, 1865) *°«> 

or^ix weekT ""* "* Sha " ""*" ""' '^"^ Within a "'<>'«» 
Wednesday, i 4 th-Th e weather is sultry. We occupied the 
day m cleaning our clothing and accouterments. The onl jo r 
ney of e,gh, hundred miles on coal cars and transports ^s prX 
hard on our clothes as well as trying on the men for we had no 

e'r "d ,7 tHe ^ SUn "° r Shdter fr ° m ^ -»• "he W 
ers around here are harvesting, and the grain looks fine 

Thursday, / 5 tf.-The men found so much fault with our canto 

a a' :' o ;;r und , and made s ° mach ^^ ^ « " ss 

quarters that our division was ordered to move to higher ground 
We moved today to a large piece of sparsely-timbered land high 
and rollmg, where we will have a fine camp. I, fa abou tw " 
miles south of Louisville. The Fourteenth Army Corns and one 
dtvtston of the Twentieth Corps, with the exeep ion of t ea 
ern men m these two corps, have arrived at Lotusville 

Fnday rdfA-Pleasant weather. We cleaned up our camp- 
ing ground today and built •'ranches" covering them with our nl 
ber ponchos. Genera. Hinkenlooper, a West Pointer, is in com- 
mand of our brigade and has given orders to put on camp guar" 

Saturday, //r/i-Still pleasant. We have not yet received our 

master "* * ^ ^^ ^ ^ b ™ ^ «"<■ * pay- 
master is paying the men of the First Brigade 

Sunday, «_We had regimental inspection at to a. n, bv 
*? F ° S,er „- ^he weather is very hot and this afternoon . 
had a heavy thunderstorm. I was sergeant of the regimental 

g g u U a a r r d d re a ,ieved Uring "" «* °" ~ * «" «* "' 

theiS^'w* tf 1S Ver> ' PleaSant havi '« deared ° ff -.ring 
the ntght. We had regimental inspection again this morning 

Our eamps are filled with all kinds of agents from the city £ 
ng to sell hem nostrums to the boys: even the "dents" come out 
to pull teeth or to clean them for the boys. 

Tuesday toth-Vtry pleasant weather. I sold my watch to 
Samuel Ban for feoo, receiving $ 20 .oo in cash, the balance r 

rr:;x; They have fine ****"*«« «*** <»" n 

the city and here are men working on them all the time but thev 
would be killing on soldiers marching over them. 



284 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(June. 1865) 

Wednesday, 21st — The Second Brigade of the Fourth Divi- 
sion of the Seventeenth Army Corps received their pay and em- 
barked this morning for St. Louis. 

Thursday, 2 2d — The Eleventh Iowa received eight months' 
pay, besides $100.00 of bounty money. I received $243.45, 
$34.00 of it being clothing money. 1 I expressed $105.00 home, 
John D. Moore sending some with mine. The boys of Company 
E settled for their year's clothing. The furloughed men started 
for their homes this evening. 

Friday, 23d — The Thirteenth Iowa received their pay today. 
A great many of the boys expressed their money home. 

Saturday, 24th — Weather pleasant. The Fifteenth Iowa re- 
ceived their pay today. I received a pass, and in charge of four 
boys of the company spent the day in Louisville. The city is pa- 
trolled by large numbers of provost guards and I had to carry 
my pass in hand all the time. I bought some clothes and sev- 
eral articles to take home. My bill came to $26.40, as I spent 
$8.50 for a pair of pants, $9.00 for a jacket, and $3.75 for an al- 
bum, besides other articles. 

Sunday, 25th — Rain this afternoon. We had company inspec- 
tion this morning and dress parade at 5 o'clock this afternoon. 
The paymaster finished paying the Fifteenth Iowa and then paid 
part of the Sixteenth Iowa. 

Monday, 26th — Quite sultry today. They finished paying the 
Sixteenth Iowa. Money is quite plentiful, as the veterans re- 
ceived more than $200.00 each. General W. W. Belknap went 
home on leave of absence and Brig. Gen. B. F. Pitts is in com- 
mand of our division. 

Tuesday, 27th — Quite sultry today. Nothing of any impor- 
tance. 

Wednesday, 28th — We still have brigade guard. There is a 
great deal of dissatisfaction in the veteran ranks on account of 
their not having been discharged yet. The Indiana troops are find- 
ing the most fault, as they can almost see their homes just across 
the Ohio river, but dare not cross over. They have been making 
an effort through the Louisville papers to get General Sherman to 

'When a soldier did not draw all the clothing the Government al- 
lowed him, he was allowed the money instead. Sergeants were allowed 
more than privates, receiving $20 per month. — A. G. D. 



THE MUSTERING OUT 285 

(June, 1865) 

tell them why they are not being discharged. Sherman answered 
them also through the press, assuring them that the Government 
will discharge them just as soon as it can get to them. 

Thursday, 29th — I am on brigade guard again, being ser- 
geant of the guard. Each day we have on guard from our bri- 
gade two commissioned officers, three sergeants, six corporals, 
and one hundred and thirty-eight privates. One of the commis- 
sioned officers, a captain, is officer of the day for the brigade, 
while the other, a lieutenant, is officer of the day for the regiment. 
We have to wear our white gloves on guard. 

Friday, 30th — The weather is sultry. Nothing of importance 
today. 

JULY, 1865. 

Saturday, 1st — The weather is quite hot and sultry. We are 
looking forward to going home soon, and expect to receive 
such an order any time, though we have not yet heard of one 
having been issued. 

Sunday, 2d — Things are working fine. Company inspection 
this afternoon. On account of the heat, the men remained in 
their "ranches" until time for dress parade at 5 o'clock in the even- 
ing. We cannot go to the city to attend church without a pass, 
since there is a brigade guard around the brigade. 

Monday, 3d — Reveille sounded at 1 a. m. for the Iowa Bri- 
gade, and at 2 o'clock we started for the city, marching down to 
the wharf for the purpose of escorting General Sherman from 
the landing to the residence of Mr. Osborne, the editor of the 
Louisville Journal. The general looks fine ; he never looked bet- 
ter to us boys. 

Tuesday, 4th — General Sherman reviewed the Army of the 
Tennessee today for the last time, our division passing in review 
at 9 a. m. He made a short speech — a farewell address — to all 
the troops. He told us that we had been good soldiers, and now 
that the war is over and the country united once more, we should 
go home, and as we had been true soldiers, we should become 
good citizens. This is a rather dull Fourth. I stayed in camp the 
rest of the day after the review, but in the evening I went down 
town to a theater — Wood's theater — for the first time in my life. 



286 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(July, 1865) 

For a while today there was a lively time in camp when a lot of the 
boys tried to break through the guard line. When they failed at 
that, they next made a raid on the sutlers, who have been doing 
a big business since our arrival at Louisville. Before the officer 
of the day could get guards to the sutlers' tents, the boys had 
secured a considerable amount of booty. 

Wednesday, 5th — An order from the War Department came 
today, ordering the mustering out of all the soldiers of the Army 
of the Tennessee. All is quiet. 

Thursday, 6th — It is hot and sultry, but as our duty is light 
we can stay in our "ranches'* and keep out of the hot sun. All are 
happy at the thought of going home soon. 

Friday, Jth — Our officers have commenced to make out the 
discharge papers and the muster rolls. The blanks came this 
morning and the officers of each company have expert penmen 
at work filling them out. 

Saturday, 8th — Captain Spencer returned to our company to- 
day. He is in ill health and it is supposed that he has consump- 
tion. He is a fine officer, tall, and as straight as an arrow. He 
is kind to his men at all times, on or off duty. We still have 
dress parade every evening. 

Sunday, gth — It rained all day and all of us not on guard re- 
mained in our "ranches." Our camp is on rolling ground and so 
the water runs off quickly. In this camp we have no bunks built 
up from the ground, for there was no tearing down of houses 
to get timbers, but we have straw on which to lay our ponchos. 
For a roof we have a pole resting on two forks, with four rubber 
ponchos stretched over the pole and the ends fastened to the 
ground. 

Monday, 10th — The men of the Fifteenth and Seventeenth 
Army Corps are raising a subscription for the purpose of erect- 
ing a monument in memory of the lamented Gen. James B. Mc- 
Pherson, 1 the old commander of the two corps, who was killed 
in the battle of Atlanta on the 22d day of July, 1864. I gave 
$5.00 myself, the whole company raising $75.00. 

1 Major-General McPherson was a noble man, a Christian gentleman, 
kind to the officers and men in his command, and the men of his two 
corps placed him equal to any of the generals in the army, East Or West. 
—A. G. D. 



THE MUSTERING OUT 287 

(July, 1865) 

Tuesday, nth — Troops are leaving daily for their homes. The 
boys are all active in getting everything squared up with one an- 
other before leaving for their homes. We get passes to the city 
as often as we can, to buy things we want before leaving the 
army for good. The boys are getting small photo gems taken 
to exchange with one another ; I have already received over sixty 
in exchange. 

Wednesday, 12th — Very pleasant weather. Our regimental 
muster-out rolls are almost ready. 

Thursday, 13th — I was on camp guard this morning, detailed 
as sergeant of the brigade guard. This thing of camp guard is 
about played out, and I suppose it is my last. 1 The guard house 
or tent has become so dirty that the men on that relief do not 
want to stay there while not on their beats. I took their names 
this morning and allowed them to go back to their own tents. 

Friday, 14th — I had a time getting the men out this morning 
when starting around the brigade to relieve the second relief, 
some refusing to come out of their tents. I finally started with 
what guards I had, and when I came to a guard for whom I had 
no man as relief, I told him to fall in behind and go to the guard 
tent, thus leaving his beat vacant. After I had made the round, 
I went to the tents of the absentees and ordered them out, each 
to his own beat number, adding that if they refused I would have 
them arrested and put in the guardhouse. I went to one chap's 
tent the third and last time, and I tell you he did some lively 
stepping to reach his beat. He was a member of the Sixteenth 
Iowa. Our muster rolls and discharge papers were all finished to- 
day and the accounts with the regimental quartermaster were all 
squared up ; everything has now been inspected and reported 
ready for mustering out. All the property belonging to the quar- 
termaster will be turned over to him tomorrow morning. Some 
of the boys in the regiment have bought their Springfield rifles 
of the Government, paving $7.00 for them. I bought my rifle, 
as did more than half of the boys of Company E. These are 
the rifles we received at Cairo, Illinois, in May, 1864. We are 
entitled to our knapsacks, haversacks and canteens, and of course 
are taking them with us. 

'This proved to be the last time that we were on duty of anv kind 
— A. G. D. 



288 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(July. 1865) 

Saturday, 15th — Our regiment, the Eleventh Iowa Veteran 
Volunteers, was mustered out this morning at 9 o'clock. We 
were relieved from all duty and turned over to the general quar- 
termaster the regimental teams and everything that does not be- 
long to the individual officers or men. The papers for the rest 
of the brigade have not yet been made out. 

Sunday, 16th — It rained all day, and having no duty of any 
kind, we remained in our "ranches." We had no services of any 
kind today, but as we had our last dress parade, and as this is 
our last Sunday in camp, we should have had some minister come 
out from the city for our last religious services in camp. 

Monday, 17th — We had our last reveille early this morning. 
We took down our rubber ponchos, packed our knapsacks, and 
at 5 o'clock started for the boat landing, where we took the ferry 
for New Albany, Indiana, crossing the river below Louisville. 
On our way up the river we passed the headquarters of Generals 
Logan and Belknap, and each delivered a short speech to us. At 
New Albany we took the train for Michigan City, leaving at 10 
o'clock. We had fairly good passenger cars, but the train was 
a slow one, as it often had to switch onto sidings to let other 
trains pass. 

Tuesday, 18th — We are still pushing on towards home and 
everything is all right. Our train ran all night, except when 
standing on some sidetrack. We arrived at Michigan City a lit- 
tle after dark and changed cars for Chicago. 

Wednesday, iQth — Our night along the lake shore was quite 
cool. We arrived in Chicago this morning at 2 o'clock, and then 
marched to the Rock Island station, where at 8 o'clock we took 
train for Davenport, Iowa. We arrived at Davenport at 5 p. m. 
A large crowd of citizens was at the station to receive us, among 
them our old colonel, William Hall, who gave us an address of 
welcome. 1 Although he was suffering from sickness, he came to 
welcome us, and as he could not stand on a platform, he remained 
in his carriage to address us. We then marched up to old Camp 
McClellan, where we shall remain till we get our discharge and 

1< *I cannot stand long enough to make a speech, I can only say to 
the citizens of Davenport, in response to the warm and generous wel- 
come that they have extended to my comrades of the Eleventh Iowa, and 
myself, that the record we have made as good soldiers from the State of 
Iowa, while fighting in defense of our common country, will be dupli- 
cated bv the record we shall make as good citizens, when we shall have 
returned to homes and loved ones." — Roster Iowa Soldiers II, p. 282. 






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ISSUED AT LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, JULY 15, 1S65. 



THE MUSTERING OUT 289 

(July, 1865) 

pay, which we expect in two or three days. The Second and 
Seventh Iowa have just received their pay and are striking out 
for home. 

Thursday, 20th — We remained in camp all day. No pay yet. 

Friday, 21st — It rained all day. No pay yet. Most of the 
boys are staying down in town. There is nothing of importance. 

Saturday, 22d — Weather quite pleasant today. Our regiment 
was paid off this afternoon, and we received our discharge. This 
makes us free men again and we at once left Camp McClellan 
for town. I went to the Davis House and stopped for the night. 
Mr. Hatch came to Davenport for a load of us. 

I bought some clothing this afternoon, the first citizen's suit 
which I was permitted to wear in four long years. I also bought 
a good watch for $50.00, which with my clothing, $41.50, amount- 
ed to $91.50. 

The Sixteenth Iowa arrived this morning from Louisville, 
Kentucky. The men of our brigade, on being discharged, seem 
to be scattering to the four ends of the earth ; even the boys of 
Company E, after bidding one another farewell, are going in all 
directions. 

Sunday, 23d — I started for home, thirty miles distant, with 
Abner Hatch, who had come down from our neighborhood with 
a team for the purpose of taking a load of the boys home. We 
left Davenport at 7 130 o'clock this morning and I reached home 
at 5 p. m. I found my folks all well. I am at home this time 
never to go to war again. It was a fine day for a ride in Iowa ; 
it had rained yesterday, and though it was somewhat cloudy, the 
prairies never looked so nice and green as they did today. 

Monday, 24th — It rained all day. I remained at home and 
brought my diary up to date. 

Tuesday, 25th — I went into the harvest field and worked all 
day at binding wheat. 

Wednesday, 26th — W'orking in the harvest field is making me 
quite sore, as it is the first of the kind I have done in the last four 
years. 

Thursday, 27th — It is the same thing and nothing of impor- 
tance. 



290 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

(July, 1865) 

Friday, 28th — I went out to Tipton today, and in the evening 
had a fine visit with Miss . 

Saturday, 29th — Home again from my visits. I have worked 
three full days now in the harvest field. 

Sunday, 30th — I went to church this morning and in the even- 
ing went to visit friends, old and new. 

Monday, 31st — Today I again went out into the harvest field. 






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APPENDIX 



292 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ALEXANDER G. DOWNING. 

I first saw daylight early on Monday morning, the 15th day 
of August, 1842, in a log house of one room, on the northeast 
corner of block 14, in the town of Bloomfield, Green county, In- 
diana. My father at that time had a small tanyard on said block 
of land, but had to give up the tanning business finally, on ac- 
count of quicksand in the well from which he drew the water to 
fill his tanning vats. My father and his twin brother came from 
West Virginia 1 in their boyhood days and located at Salem, In- 
diana. While living there they learned the tanner's trade. Their 
father, my grandfather, came from Ireland when a young lad and 
later served his adopted country in the Revolutionary War. After 
the war he settled in Virginia. My mother was from North 
Carolina and was of English ancestry. She died when I was al- 
most two years old, and my only sister died six months later. In 
1846 my father married again and moved upon an eighty-acre 
farm two miles east of Bloomfield, which became the first family 
homestead. There my five half-brothers were born. Our com- 
bined ages are, on this 14th day of June, 1914, 396 years, while 
our combined time in Iowa is three hundred and sixty years. 

I attended school two summers, during the last two years we 
lived in Indiana. It was in a log schoolhouse, located in heavy 
timber. It had no floor, nor even a window, though there was 
a small hole in one side of the building to give light when the 
door was shut. The door was made of split staves, and hung by 
wooden hinges ; the accustomed latch-string was on the outside. 
There was not a nail in the entire building. I attended my first 
Sunday School at this schoolhouse, my cousin being the super- 
intendent. He gave me a Sunday School book, the reading of 
which at that time of my boyhood days has guided me to this day 
in living the better life. 

In May, 1854, father pulled up stakes and left for Iowa. We 
had one team of horses and three yoke of oxen, with two wagons 
loaded with the family bedding, clothes and utensils, besides 

'Then western Virginia. — Ed. 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ALEXANDER G. DOWNING 293 

enough dried fruit to last two years. We also took along a small 
herd of young cows and heifers. 

It was my lot to drive those cattle. I was in my twelfth year 
and with the one hired man walked the whole way, driving the 
herd. I had just received from my uncle a new pair of boots for 
the journey ; but those boots almost proved my undoing. My 
uncle had bought our eighty-acre farm, upon which was a ten- 
acre field of fall wheat, having been sown in the standing corn. 
He told me that if I would cut the stalks he would buy me a new 
pair of boots for our journey. That spring I went at the job 
with father's old iron hoe, which had a dogwood handle, and 
whacked down that ten acres of cornstalks, earning my boots. On 
our way to Iowa we encountered so much rain and water that the 
boots became so shrunken and stiff I could scarcely get them on 
and off ; I had to leave them on for days at a time. The result 
was that my feet became very sore and calloused, and to this day 
I have a callous place on the bottom of one foot caused by the 
pegs in those boots. 

We crossed the Mississippi river at Davenport, Iowa, on Sun- 
day morning, June n, 1854. It was a hot, foggy morning, but 
soon clouded over and by the next day we had to travel in a cold, 
all day, northeastern rainstorm. In all we were on the road 
twenty-two days, and we had rain at some time during the day 
for eighteen of those days. 

Father had come to Iowa in the fall of 1852 and had entered 
two hundred and forty acres of land eight miles east of Tipton, 
the county seat of Cedar county. After he had the land surveyed 
he bought forty acres more, of timber land, four miles distant. 
Here he cut forks and poles for the frame and then went to Dav- 
enport for the lumber with which to build our shanty to live in 
during the summer. Davenport was thirty miles distant, and it 
took him three days with an ox team to make the trip. 

In the latter part of the summer I had to drive the three yoke 
of oxen hitched to a breaking plow while the hired man held the 
plow handles, to break twenty acres of prairie. The grass and 
blue stem were so high and always so wet that I never thought of 
being dry until in the afternoon. There were so many rattle- 
snakes that I had to wear those "store" boots all that summer, to 



294 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

protect my feet. While the hired man and I were breaking prai- 
rie, father was building our house, a one and one-fourth story 
building, into which we moved some time in November. He also 
built a sod stable, covering it with slough grass. Besides this, he 
with the help of two hired men cut and stacked about sixty tons 
of the blue stem for hay. We built a rail fence around the stacks 
and then during the winter, we threw the hay over the fence to 
feed the cattle. 

The two hired men we had were both from Indiana and late 
in the fall they went back, as they were afraid of freezing to 
death in Iowa. Our first winter, though, was not bad ; in fact, 
it was one of the finest winters I have ever seen in Iowa, and I 
have now (1914) seen sixty of them in the State. The nearest 
schoolhouse was four miles away and overcrowded at that, so I 
received no schooling that winter. Father would go to the timber 
every day with Ben and Head, a faithful yoke of oxen, to make 
rails and posts, bringing home a load at night. He would reach 
the timber usually by daylight and very often would not get home 
till long after dark. I thus, with some help from my younger 
brothers, had to do the chores, cut the stove wood, and carry it 
into the house. The fine, dry winter was a great blessing to 
father, as he had to work every day in getting out the material 
with which to fence the farm the next spring. 

That spring, 1855, we put in a crop on the twenty acres which 
we broke the summer before, sowing twelve acres to wheat and 
planting eight acres to corn. It was my task to harrow and 
smooth down that tough sod. Father had made a forty-tooth. "A- 
harrow," and with Ben and Head hitched to it, I harrowed 
that twenty-acre field over and over. It seemed as if I 
walked several thousand miles in getting the twelve acres of wheat 
covered. Father had told me to lap the harrow about one-half 
each time, and in my anxiety to do so I kept calling whoa-haw 
to the oxen almost continuously. One day father said to me, 
"Bud" (for that was my nickname then), "if I had a dollar for 
every time you said whoa-haw, I could retire for life a rich man." 

After putting in the wheat I helped father fence in sixty 
acres of land with a two-rail fence, building in all one mile and 
sixty rods of fence. I dug the post holes and father set the posts, 
and then nailed on the rails while I held them in place. 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ALEXANDER G. DOWNING 295 

The old stage road from Davenport to Cedar Rapids ran 
across our farm right where we had fenced it in, but the stage 
route had not yet been changed. One day the stage from Dav- 
enport, heavily loaded with passengers, came through and the 
driver, following the old road, drove right up to the new fence 
to find his way blocked ; and in place of following the new road 
about twenty rods up around the comer, he with the help of some 
of his passengers was going to tear down the fence. Father was 
at work a short distance away and seeing the move they were 
making, simply called out to them to be careful what they were 
doing. That settled the matter ; the driver uttered a few "damns" 
and then went up the new road around the comer. The first rail- 
road engine had just entered Iowa, having been brought across 
the Mississippi river on the ice by the piece and then put 
together at Davenport. Soon thereafter the old stage route was 
abandoned altogether. 

At that time there were few houses to be seen on all that vast 
prairie. From our home we could count but four or five small 
homes, and we could see for miles in all directions without any- 
thing to break the view. It was a mile to our nearest neighbor. 

That summer father cut our first crop of wheat in Iowa with 
a cradle. I raked the swathes into bundles with a hand rake, 
while the hired man bound them into sheaves. In the fall before 
father had broken up a large hazel patch for a garden, and I 
planted a part of it in watermelons. They did well, and late in 
the season I sold in all $6.00 worth of melons to the "movers" 
going west on the old territorial road which was now turned to 
run close by our house. I counted that $6.00 over a great many 
times, and each dollar then looked as big as a base drum head 
does today. But alas ! The six silver dollars went to a local 
shoemaker for making six pairs of cowhide shoes for us six boys, 
and that was the last I saw of the $6.00. 

Our second winter in Iowa was spent in the same way as the 
first. There was no schoolhouse near, and for the second time 
I got no winter's schooling. Instead, I remained at home to do 
chores and "smash up" the stove wood. Father again went to 
the timber every day with the same yoke of oxen to make a load 
of rails, or posts, or to cut a load of firewood, as occasion re- 
quired. 



296 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

During the summer of 1856 we farmed on a larger scale than 
the year before, and we bought a reaper to cut our grain. Then 
came the cold winter of '56 and '57, with six to eight feet of snow 
on the level. This "winter of the deep snow" was followed by 
the "wet summer of '57." Our wheat crop was so badly blighted 
that we took none of it to mill. We had to use old wheat for food 
as well as for seed the following spring. The years of 1858 and 
1859 were uneventful years. The times were hard, money was 
very scarce, and what little there was to be had was wild-cat 
money in the bargain. 

The year of i860 was another rather dull year, though in the 
late summer the political excitement ran high, the main topic 
being the South and slavery. I united with the church in No- 
vember, i860, becoming a member of the Disciples' Church. 

In 1861 there was no improvement over the past three years, 
and the finest wheat ever grown would not bring over thirty cents 
a bushel, while corn was only ten cents a bushel. That' spring 
the Civil War broke out, and after I helped father through with 
the harvest, I enlisted in the army and was away from home in 
the war for four long years. While in the army I participated 
in thirty-eight battles and skirmishes, and was mustered out in 
July, 1865. 

W r hen I came home from the war. I helped finish the harvest 
and then in the fall worked with a threshing outfit. I went 
through the winter without any occupation and then in the spring 
of 1866 I decided to put in a crop. I farmed eighty acres and 
cleared above all expenses $600.00 in six months. 

In the fall of 1866 I thought that my occupation for life should 
be that of a merchant and decided to go into business. I went 
to London, Iowa, and bought an interest in a general store. After 
six months of experience I found out that merchandising was 
not my calling and sold out, losing in the whole transaction $1,- 
200.00, or $200.00 per month. I decided then to make farming 
my calling and in the spring of 1867 broke up one hundred and 
twenty acres of prairie. I bought the best team of horses I could 
find, paying $400.00 cash for them, and went to breaking prairie. 

On the 9th of May, 1867, I was married to Miss Mary E. 
Stanton, daughter of J. W. Stanton, a prosperous farmer of my 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ALEXANDER C. DOWNING 297 

home neighborhood. In 1868 we built a house on York Prairie, 
two miles north of Bennett, Iowa. Here for a period of seven- 
teen years, I was engaged in general farming and stock raising. 
My father died in 1877 and I settled up his estate, which was 
worth about $50,000.00. He owned over five hundred acres of 
land, all well improved, besides a large amount of personal prop- 
erty. In 1 88 1 I built one of the largest barns in Cedar county 
at that time, requiring over one hundred thousand feet of lum- 
ber. It would stable one hundred head of cattle, had bins to 
hold five thousand bushels of grain, and the hayloft would hold 
one hundred tons of hay. In the fall of 1885 I sold my farm of 
two hundred acres and bought a badly run down farm of one 
hundred and sixty acres. My old farm was all in grass, and at 
my sale in September of that year I sold over one hundred head 
of cattle, high-grade Durhams. I rented out the new farm I had 
bought for a term of ten years and quit farming for good. 

Being somewhat broken in health, we moved to Colfax, Iowa, 
that same year for the benefit of my health. We remained there 
until the 1st of March, 1887, when we moved to Des Moines, 
Iowa, w T here we have made our home ever since. Having no 
living children we decided to endow a medical chair in Drake 
University and gave for that purpose $25,000.00. Later we gave 
$5,000.00 to the Medical Library of the University, and since 
have given $2,000.00 to establish the Downing Prizes in Drake 
LTniversity. 

Signed this nth day of June, 1914, by Alexander G. 
Downing, in his seventy-second year and his sixtieth 
year in the State of Iowa. 



298 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 



SOME OBSERVATIONS. 
By A. G. D. 

BROTHERS IN COMPANY E. 

Twelve families are represented in Company E by two broth- 
ers each, and one by three brothers. John W. and Samuel Albin — 
John W. slightly wounded June 15, 1864, on the skirmish line on 
Noon-day creek, Kenesaw Mountain in Georgia. Robert and Wil- 
liam Alexander 1 — William killed on the skirmish line June 15, 

1864, on Noon-day creek at the foot of a spur of Kenesaw Moun- 
tain. John M. and Sylvester Daniels — John M. received a wound 
on one hand at Shiloh April 6, 1862, and was discharged for dis- 
ability on October 13, 1862. John W. and William Dwiggans — 
William died of typhoid fever December 28, 1861, and John W. 
died from wounds received at Shiloh May 7, 1862. John W. and 
W'illiam Esher — John W. was severely wounded June 25. 1864, 
at Kenesaw Mountain and discharged for disability March 20, 

1865. Allen and Carlton Frink — Carlton killed at Shiloh April 
6, 1862. Dean and John Ford — John had his right thumb shot 
off at Vicksburg and then slightly wounded on the skirmish line 
June 15, 1864, on Noon-day creek, Kenesaw Mountain. Ezra 
and Samuel McLoney — Ezra killed at Shiloh April 6, 1862. Fran- 
cis and Reuben Niese — Reuben died March 2, 1865, in McDoug- 
al's Hospital near New York City. Ebenezer and James Rankin. 
Burtis H. and James K. Rumsey — James K. died at Chattanooga, 
Tennessee, February 2, 1865. George W. and Wilson Simmons — 
George W. wounded at Shiloh April 6, 1862, and died of his 
wounds May 12, 1862; Wilson died of lung fever April 15, 1862. 
Daniel, George and Henry Sweet — George killed in battle July 
22, 1864, near Atlanta, Georgia; Henry L. died of fever in the 
Division Hospital in Tennessee, May 4, 1862. 

CASUALTIES IN COMPANY E. 

Killed in action, n. Died of wounds, 4. Died of disease, 14. 
Discharged for disability, T5. Taken prisoners, 6. Deserters, 4. 



SOME OBSERVATIONS 299 

Absent on account of sickness for short periods, t> 2 - Absent on 
account of slight wounds, 31. Total casualties, 117, or a fraction 
over 82 per cent of the 142 men in the company during the four 
years' service. There were those who were sick and marked not 
fit for duty, yet who did not leave the company, and there were 
others slightly wounded who likewise did not leave the company. 
Then, there were those, who for the same causes, had to go to the 
hospitals and be absent from the company for weeks at a time. 
The regimental surgeon would examine all cases, and it was left 
to his decision as to what a man had to do. 

CROCKER'S IOWA BRIGADE. 

Crocker's Iowa Brigade was composed of the Eleventh, Thir- 
teenth, Fifteenth and Sixteenth Infantry Regiments. The regi- 
ments enlisted in the months of September and October, 1861, and 
were organized into a brigade April 2j, 1862. There were in all 
6289 enlisted men in the brigade. 

The regiments had the following numbers, rank and file : 
Eleventh, 1297 Fifteenth, 1767 

Thirteenth, 1788 Sixteenth, 1441 

The record of re-enlistments in the different regiments at 
Vicksburg, Mississippi, January, 1864, is as follows : 
Eleventh, 420 Fifteenth, 440 

Thirteenth, 450 Sixteenth, 415 

The casualties numbered 4773, or seventy-six per cent of the 
strength of the brigade. The record of the officers and men who 
died during the war is as follows : 

Killed in Died of wounds 

battle Wounded and disease Total dead 

Eleventh 90 234 148 238 

Thirteenth 117 313 176 293 

Fifteenth 140 416 231 371 

Sixteenth 101 311 217 318 



448 1274 772 



1220 



The miles traveled in marching during the war are, by 
years : 



300 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

By boat and 
By land railroad 

1862 495 58i 

1863 47° 651 

1864 1979 1660 

1865 (to July 24) 1622 440 

This makes a total of 4566 miles traveled by land and 3332 
miles by boat and railroad, with a grand total of 7898 miles. 

BATTLES ENGAGED IN BY CROCKER'S BRIGADE. 

1862. 
Shiloh, Term., April 6th. 

Advance on Corinth, Miss., April 28th to May 30th. 
Iuka, Miss., September 19th, 20th. 
Corinth, Miss., October 3d, 4th. 
Waterford, Miss., November 29th. 

1863. 
Lafayette, Tenn., January 2d. 
Richmond, La., January 30th. 
Siege of Vicksburg, May 20th to July 4th. 
Oakridgetown, La., August 27th. 
Monroe, La., August 29th. 

1864. 
Meridian, Miss., February 24th. 
Big Shanty, Ga., June 10th. 
Noon-Day Creek, Ga., June 15th. 
Brushy Mountain, Ga., June 19th. 
Kenesaw Mountain. Ga., June 27th to July 1st. 
Second Advance on Nick-a-Jack Creek, Ga., July 3d, 4th, 5th. 
Advance on Atlanta, Ga., July 20th. 
Charge on Bald Hill, Ga., July 21st. 
Battle of Atlanta, Ga., July 22(1. 
Ezra Church, Ga., July 28th. 
Advance on Atlanta, Ga., August 3d. 
Before Atlanta, Ga., August 3d to August 16th. 
Atlanta & Montgomery R. R., Ga., August 28th. 
Jonesboro, Ga., August 31st to September 1st. 



SOME OBSERVATIONS 301 

Flynt Creek, Ga., September ist. 
Lovejoy Station, Ga., September 2d. 
Fairburn, Ga., October 2d. 
Snake Creek Gap, Ga., October 15th. 
Savannah, Ga., December 10th to 21st. 

The battles from June to September are known as the Siege of 
Atlanta. During this period of eighty-seven days Crocker's Bri- 
gade was under fire eighty-one days. 

1865. 
Garden Corners, S. C, January 14th. 
River Bridge, Salkahatchie Swamp, S. C, February 2d. 
Big Salkahatchie Swamp, S. C, February 3d. 
North Edisto River, S C, February 9th. 
Columbia, S. C, March 3d. 
Fayetteville, N. C, March nth. 
Bentonville, N. C, March 20th, 21st. 
Raleigh, N. C, April 13th. 

INTEMPERANCE IN THE ARMY. 

Intemperance in the army during the war was the cause of 
much disturbance, and, to the men using intoxicating liquors, it 
was a curse. Men who were good men when sober, became, when 
intoxicated, regular demons. There were more men ordered 
bucked and gagged by officers for drunkenness than any other 
cause, and that just for the reason that a drunk man will talk 
or fight. 

The only trouble I had with any of the boys in my company 
was at Louisville, Kentucky, just before we were mustered out. 
One of the boys came back to camp from the city so drunk that he 
could hardly walk. I was out in front of my "ranch," cleaning 
my rifle and accouterments, and, as I was the first man he hap- 
pened to see upon his return, he was ready for a fight at once. I, 
of course, kept out of his way and soon a number of other boys 
came out, captured him, took him to his "ranch" and tied him to a 
post. There he remained till he "cooled off." 



302 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

HARDSHIPS OF WAR. 

Some people think that being in a battle is all there is to war. 
While experience in battle is a dreadful thing, it is by no means 
the only hardship in war. Here are some of the hardships and 
dangers aside from being under fire : in a field hospital ; suffer- 
ing from wounds or from any of the many diseases to which a 
soldier is subject; on long marches, sometimes for days and even 
nights at a time, or on picket line for a day and a night without 
sleep ; in rain or snow, and that without protection, or perhaps in 
digging trenches all night for protection the next day, or in re- 
maining in the rifle pits for days and nights at a time, and in ad- 
dition, drinking stagnant water, thus causing fevers ; then for days 
and weeks at work, building heavy fortifications, and besides all 
at times on short rations, when an ear of corn would be a God- 
send — these are some of the many hardships. But above all 
things, starving to death in a Southern prison required more cour- 
age than going into any battle fought during the Civil war. 

MY PAY FROM THE GOVERNMENT. 

While in the army, I received as my pay, $700.00, as bounty 
money, $500.00, and for clothing, $40.00, making a total of 
$1,240.00. Besides this I received from the State of Iowa, $24.00. 

Privates received $13.00 per month to May 1, 1864, after which 
time they received $16.00. Sergeants received $22.00 per month. 



ROLL OF CO. E. 303 



ROLL OF CO. E. 

JOHN W. ALBIN — Age, 18; residence, Newport; nativity, Iowa; enlisted, 
March 7, 1864; mustered, March 7, 1864; private; wounded, June 16, 
1864; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

SAMUEL ALBIN — Age, 18; residence Linn county; nativity, Iowa; en- 
listed, April 9, 1864; mustered, April 11, 1864; private; mustered out, 
July 15, 1865. 

ROBERT ALEXANDER — Age, 22; residence, Tipton; nativity, Ireland; 
enlisted, September 2, 1862; mustered, September 12, 1862; private; 
mustered out, June 2, 1865. 

WILLIAM ALEXANDER — Age 22; residence, Tipton; nativity, Ireland; 
enlisted, September 21, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; re- 
enlisted, January 25, 1864; private; killed in battle, June 15, 1864. 

ALBERT ALLEE — Age, 18; residence, Tipton: nativity, Indiana; enlisted, 
September 21, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; wounded, 
June 21, 1864; mustered out expiration of term, October 17, 1864. 

JEREMIAH A. ARGO — Age, 18; residence, Springfield; nativity, Ohio; 
enlisted, April 20, 1864; mustered, April 20, 1864; private; mustered 
out, July 15, 1865. 

THOMAS ARMSTRONG — Age, 18; residence, Tipton; nativity, Pennsyl- 
vania; enlisted, September 23, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; vet- 
eran; reenlisted January 1, 1864; private; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

JOHN L. AYERS — Age, 21; residence, Mechanicsville; nativity, Ohio; en- 
listed, October 10, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; mustered 
out expiration of term, October 17, 1864. 

SAMUEL BAIN— Age, 21; residence, Cedar Bluff; nativity, Ohio; enlisted, 
September 28, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; reenlisted, 
January 1, 1864; private; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

EGBERT BANKS — Age, 25; residence, Davenport; nativity, New York; 
enlisted, October 6, 1864; mustered, October 6, 1864; private; mustered 
out, July 15, 1865. 

CORYDON BARKER — Age, 28; residence, Grinnell; nativity, Kentucky; 
enlisted, September 23, 1864; mustered, September 23, 1864; private; 
discharged for disabilities, May 10, 1865. 

'WILLIAM BARRETT — Age, 20; residence, Cambridge; nativity, Maine; 
enlisted, September 13, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; re- 
enlisted, January 1, 1864; private; 4th Corporal January 1, 1865; 
mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

FRED BARTIMER — Age, 19; residence, Davenport; nativity, Germany; 
enlisted, October 3, 1864; mustered, October 4, 1864; private; mus- 
tered out, July 15, 1865. 

JOHN R. or W. BATDERF — Age, 30; residence, Tipton; nativity, Penn- 
sylvania; enlisted, September 14, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; 
private; 4th Corporal December 12, 1861; discharged for disabilities, 
July 25, 1862. 

GEORGE BERRIMAN — Age, 21; residence, Tipton; nativity, Ohio; en- 
listed, September 9, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; re- 
enlisted, January 1, 1864; private; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

MONROE S. BLAZER — Age, 21; residence, Springfield; nativity, Vir- 
ginia; enlisted, March 2, 1864; mustered, March 2, 1864; private; mus- 
tered out, July 15, 1865. 

JOHN W. BOLTON — Age, 18; residence, Tipton; nativity, Iowa; enlisted, 
September 21, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; promoted, 4th 
Corporal September 10, 1862; discharged for disabilities, March 9, 
1863. 

BENJAMIN BOSSERT — Age, 18; residence, Tipton; nativity, Pennsyl- 
vania; enlisted, October 1, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; 
reenlisted, January 1, 1864; private; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

PETER R. BRADSHAW — Age, 19; residence, Tipton, nativity, Iowa; en- 
listed, September 28. 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; reenlisted, Jan- 
uary 1, 1864; private; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

ANDREW BRIDGER — Age, 24; residence, Tipton; nativity, West Vir- 
ginia; enlisted, March 3, 1864; mustered, March 3, 1864; private; dis- 
charged for disabilities, May 26, 1865. 



304 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 



ABRAHAM BROWN — Age, 34; residence, Tipton; nativity, Pennsylvania; 
enlisted, October 1, 1861; mustered October 5, 1861; private; promoted, 
wagoner; died of disease, January 2, 1864. 

ASA S. BRUNSON — Age, 33; residence, Tipton; nativity, Ohio; enlisted, 
September 30, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; reenlisted, 
January 1, 1864; private; wounded, September 5, 1864; mustered out, 
July 15, 1865. 

WILLIAM H. BUCK — Age, 25; residence, Davenport; nativity, Ohio; en- 
listed, October 7, 1864; mustered, October 7, 1864; private; mustered 
out, July 15, 1865. 

JOHN R. BUCKMAN — Age, 18; residence, Le Claire; nativity. Illinois; 
enlisted, August 26, 1861; mustered, October 15, 1861; private; killed 
in battle, April 6, 1862. 

HENRY L. CANFIELD — Age, 22; residence, Davenport; nativity, Indiana; 
enlisted, September 28, 1864; mustered, September 28, 1864; private; 
mustered out, June 2, 1865. 

ALFRED CAREY — Age, 25; residence, Tipton; nativity, New York; en- 
listed, August 20, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; office, 3d Sergeant; 
2d Lieutenant April 7, 1862; 1st Lieutenant October 1, 1862; wounded, 
June 15, 1864; died of wounds, July 25, 1864. 

WASHINGTON CARL — Age, 23; residence, Tipton; nativity, Iowa; en- 
listed September 28, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; re- 
enlisted, January 1, 1864; private; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

NATHAN CHASE — Age, 18; residence, Tipton; nativity, Illinois; enlisted, 
September 16, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; reenlisted, 
January 1, 1864; private; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

WILLIAM CHOWIN — Age, 39; residence, Davenport; nativity, England; 
enlisted, October 7, 1864; mustered, October 7, 1864; private; mustered 
out, July 15, 1865. 

ELMORE CHRISMAN — Age, 25; residence, Tipton; nativity, Ohio; en- 
listed, September 28, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private, 
wounded, April 6, 1862; discharged for disabilities, December 2, 1862. 

MAJOR CHRISTMAS — Age, 38; residence, Tipton; nativity, England; en- 
listed, September 20, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; re- 
enlisted, January 1, 1861; private; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

JOEL H. CLARK — Age, 24; residence, Ireland; nativity, New York; en- 
listed, August 20, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; 1st Sergeant; 
transferred, Inv. Corps March 15, 1864; no record. 

JOHN F. COMPTON — Age, 36; residence, Ireland; nativity, England; en- 
listed, October 5, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; 1st Lieutenant Oc- 
tober 5, 1861; killed in battle, April 6, 1862. 

DWIGHT D. COMSTOCK — Age, 36; residence, Davenport; nativity, New 
York; enlisted, September 21, 1864; mustered, September 21, 1864; 
private; mustered out, June 2, 1865. 

CHARLES CORRELL — Age, 20; residence, Davenport; nativity, Ohio; 
enlisted, September 28, 1864; mustered, September 28, 1864; private; 
mustered out, June 2, 1865. 

GEORGE CROAK — Age, 20; residence, Le Claire; nativity, Pennsylvania; 
enlisted, August 26, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; killed 
in battle, April 6, 1862. 

WILLIAM CROSS — Age, 25; residence, Tipton; nativity, New York; en- 
listed, September 20, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; killed 
in battle, July 5, 1864. 

ORRIN CULVER — Age, 26; residence, Grlnnell; nativity, Ohio; enlisted, 
September 23, 1864; mustered, September 23, 1864; private; mustered 
out, June 2, 1865. 

GEORGE CUSH — Age, 25; residence, Cedar Rapids; nativity, Germany; 
enlisted, August 20, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; re- 
enlisted, January 1, 1864; private; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

JOHN M. DANIELS — Age, 26; residence, Tipton; nativity, New York; en- 
listed, September 24, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; 1st Corporal; 
discharged for disabilities, October 13, 1862. 

SYLVESTER DANIELS — Age, 33; residence, Inland; nativity, New York; 
enlisted, August 20, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; re- 
enlisted, January 1, 1864; drummer; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

FERDINAND DAVIS — Age, 22; residence, Davenport; nativity, Indiana; 
enlisted, September 22, 1864; mustered, September 22, 1864; private; 
mustered out, June 2, 1865. 

PATRICKS DEMPSEY — Age, 20; residence, Davenport; nativity, Canada; 
enlisted, September 23, 1864; mustered, September 23, 1864; private; 
deserted, November 13, 1864. 



ROLL OF CO. E. 305 



JOHN A. DICKSON — Age, 19; residence, Davenport; nativity, Maine; en- 
listed, October 4, 1864; mustered, October 4, 1864; private; mustered 
out, July 15, 1865. 

LEROY DOUGLAS — Age, 20; residence, Cedar County; nativity, Pennsyl- 
vania; enlisted, September 30, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; vet- 
eran; reenlisted, January 23, 1864; private; wounded, June 15, 1864; 
mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

THEODORE DOUGLAS — Age, 18; residence, Tipton; nativity, Pennsyl- 
vania; enlisted, September 24, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; pri- 
vate; no record. 

ALEXANDER G. DOWNING — Age, 18; residence, Inland; nativity. In- 
diana; enlisted, August 20, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; 
reenlisted, January 1, 1864; private; 6th Corporal March 1, 1864; 5th 
Corporal; 4th Sergeant January 1, 1865; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

DAVID DRAUCKER — Age, 23; residence, Tipton; nativity, Pennsylvania; 
enlisted, August 20, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; reen- 
listed, January 1, 1864; private; fifer; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

LORENZO D. DURBIN — Age, 35; residence, Tipton; nativity, Ohio; mus- 
tered, October 5, 1861; 2d Lieutenant September 22, 1861; 1st Lieu- 
tenant April 7, 1862; resigned, September 28, 1862. 

JOHN W. DWIGGANS — Age, 19; residence, Tipton; nativity, Ohio; en- 
listed, September 23, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; 
wounded, April 6, 1862; died of wounds, May 7, 1862. 

WILLIAM DWIGGANS — Age, 19; residence, Tipton; nativity, Iowa; en- 
listed, September 23, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; died of 
disease, December 28, 1861. 

CHARLES EDDY — Age, 25; residence, Davenport; nativity, Canada; en- 
listed, October 3, 1864; mustered, October 3, 1864; private; mustered 
out, July 15, 1865. 

GEORGE W. EICHER — Age, 22; residence, Woodbridge; nativity, Ohio; 
enlisted, September 23, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; 
mustered out expiration of term, October 17, 1864. 

LEWIS ELSEFFER — Age, 18; residence, Woodbridge; nativity, New 
York; enlisted, September 12, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; vet- 
eran; reenlisted, January 1, 1864; private; 6th Corporal; 4th Corporal 
January 1, 1864; 3d Corporal May 1, 1864; 1st Corporal January 1, 
1865; mustered out, July 26, 1865. 

JOHN W. ESHER — Age, 25: residence, Woodbridge: nativity, Pennsyl- 
vania; enlisted, September 23, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; vet- 
eran; reenlisted, January 23, 1864; wounded, June 25, 1864; discharged 
for disabilities, March 20, 1865. 

WILLIAM ESHER — Age, 23; residence, Inland; nativity, Pennsylvania; 
enlisted, September 20, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; mustered out, 
July 15, 1865. 

WILLIAM C. FALLS — Age, 33; residence, Tipton; nativity, Virginia; en- 
listed, August 30, 1862; mustered, August 30, 1862; mustered out, 
June 2, 1865. 

JOHN FERREN — Age, 24; residence, Davenport; nativity, Ireland; en- 
listed, October 11, 1864; mustered, October 11, 1864; mustered out, 
July 15, 1865. 

FRANK FISHER — Enlisted, October 5, 1861; rejected by mustering officer. 

DEAN FORD — Age, 23; residence, Tipton; nativity, Indiana; enlisted, 
September 21, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; reenlisted, 
January 1, 1864; private; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

JOHN FORD — Age, 23; residence, Tipton; nativity, Indiana; enlisted, Sep- 
tember 14, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; wounded, June 
15, 1864; mustered out expiration of term, October 17, 1864. 

JAMES FOSSETT — Age, 21; residence. Inland; nativity, Ohio; enlisted, 
September 26, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; 6th Corporal; dis- 
charged for disabilities, October 17, 1862. 

HIRAM FRANK — Age, 42; residence, Tipton; nativity. New York; en- 
listed, September 24, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; re- 
enlisted, January 1, 1864; 3d Corporal; 6th Sergeant October 16. 1862; 
4th Sergeant May 1, 1864; 2d Sergeant November 1, 1864; mustered 
out, July 15, 1865. 

GOTTHES JOHN FREDERICK — Age, 18; residence, Davenport; nativity, 
Germany; enlisted October 7, 1864; mustered, October 7, 1864; private; 
mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

ALLEN FRINK — Age, 22; residence, Tipton; nativity, New York; en- 
listed, September 26, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; 
wounded, April 6, 1862; no further record. 



306 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

CARLTON FRINK — Age, 18; residence, Tipton, nativity. New York; en- 
listed, September 26, 1861; mustered. October 5, 1861; private; killed 
in battle, April 6, 1862. 

WILLIAM H. GREEN — Age, 21; residence, Tipton; nativity, Ohio; en- 
listed, August 20, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; reenlisted, 
January 1, 1864; private; Bth Corporal January 1, 1865; mustered 
out, July 15, 1865. 

THOMAS M. HAINES — Age, 24; residence, Tipton; nativity. New York; 
enlisted, September 21, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; 
killed in battle, April 6, 1862. 

JOHN W. HARDIN — Age, 20; residence, Jefferson City; nativity, Mis- 
souri; enlisted, December 19, 1861; mustered, December 19, 1861; 
private; hospital June 30, no record. 

HARRISON HARRICE — Age, 25; residence, Tipton; nativity, Maryland; 
enlisted, September 24, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; dis- 
charged for disabilities, July 14, 1862. 

PITT B. HARRINGTON — Age, 21; residence, Tipton; nativity, Michigan; 
enlisted, September 17, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; re- 
enlisted, January 1, 1864; private; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

ABNER H. HATCH — Age, 25; residence, Tipton; nativity, New York; en- 
listed, September 14, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; dis- 
charged for disabilities, August 13, 1862. 

LEWIS P. HAZEN — Age, 30; residence. Davenport; nativity, Ohio; en- 
listed, September 28, 1864; mustered, September 28, 1864; private; 
mustered out, June 16, 1865. 

NICODEMUS D. HENRY — Age, 19; residence, Cedar County; nativity, 
Ohio; enlisted, April 19, 1864; mustered, April 19, 1864; private; mus- 
tered out, July 15, 1865. 

AUGUSTUS F. HERRICK — Age, 19; residence, Davenport; nativity, New 
York; enlisted, October 8, 1864; mustered, October 8, 1864; private; 
mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

JOHN HILTON — Age, 18; residence, Davenport; nativity, Missouri; en- 
listed, April 25, 1864; mustered, April 27, 1864; private; wounded, 
July 5, 1864, and September 2, 1864; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

ROBERT L. HILTON — Rejected by mustering officer October 5, 1861. 

DAVID HOBAUGH — Age, 21; residence, Toronto; nativity, Indiana; en- 
listed, September 17, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; pris- 
oner, October 4, 1862; reenlisted, January 1, 1864; private; killed in 
battle, July 20, 1864. 

DAVID HUFF — Age, 21; residence, Inland; nativity, Indiana; enlisted, 
August 20, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; reenlisted, Janu- 
ary 1, 1864; private; 2d Corporal; 1st Corporal May 1, 1864; wounded, 
August 12, 1864; died of wounds, August 23, 1864. 

CHARLES J. JOHNSON — Age, 22; residence, Mechanlcsvllle; nativity, 
Ohio; enlisted, October 5, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; 
died of disease, November 25, 1863. 

FRANK JOHNSON — Age, 19; residence, Tipton; enlisted, October 5, 1861; 
mustered, October 5, 1861; reenlisted, January 1, 1864; private; mus- 
tered out, July 15, 1865. 

JOHN C. JOHNSON — Age 18; residence, Marshall County; nativity, Ohio; 
enlisted, March 23, 1864; mustered, March 23, 1864; private; mus- 
tered out, July 15, 1865. 

JOHN KINNAN — Age, 22; residence, Tipton; nativity, Pennsylvania; 
enlisted, September 16, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; re- 
enlisted, January 1, 1864; private; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

CRAVEN LANE — Age, 19; residence, Tipton; nativity, Indiana; enlisted, 
September 21, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; died of dis- 
ease, January 3, 1862. 

JOHN LETT — Age 19; residence, Tipton; nativity, Ohio; enlisted, Septem- 
ber 21, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; reenlisted, January 
1, 1864; private; 3d Corporal January 1, 1865; mustered out, July 15, 
1865. 

A l'( JUSTUS LOBSHEIR — Age, 22; residence, Woodbridge; nativity, Ger- 
many; enlisted, September 25, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; vet- 
eran; reenlisted, January 1, 1864; 5th Sergeant; 2d Sergeant October 1, 
1862; Sergeant-Major November 1, 1864; discharged for disabilities, 
July 17, 1865. 

JOEL LONG — Age, 22; residence, Cedar Bluff; nativity, Iowa; enlisted, 
September 30, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; wagoner; mustered 
out, July 15, 1865. 



ROLL OF CO. E. 307 



FETER LONG — Age, 18; residence, Davenport; nativity, Ohio; enlisted, 
October 11, 1864; mustered, October 11, 1864; private; deserted, No- 
vember 11, 1864. 

HUGH C. McBIRNEY — Age, 21; residence, Mechanicsville ; nativity, 
Canada; enlisted, September 26, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; pri- 
vate; 3d Corporal; mustered out expiration of term, October 17, 1864. 

PADENARIN McCARTNEY — Age 39; residence, Tipton; nativity, Penn- 
sylvania; enlisted, September 23, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; 
private, discharged — ?' 

THOMAS McCONNOLL — Age, 24; residence, Tipton; nativity, Pennsyl- 
vania; enlisted, August 26, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; 
wounded, June 15, 1864; mustered out, expiration of term, October 
31, 1864. 

EBENEZER McCULLOUGH — Age, 23; residence, Davenport; nativity, 
Ohio; enlisted, October 1, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; 
died of disease, August 3, 1862. 

JOSEPH McKIBBEN — Age, 26; residence, Tipton; nativity, Ireland; en- 
listed, September 23, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; mus- 
tered out, expiration of term, April 1, 1865. 

EZRA McLONEY — Age, 25; residence, Tipton; nativity, Ohio; enlisted, 
September 28, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; 4th Sergeant; killed 
in battle, April 6, 1862. 

SAMUEL S. McLONEY — Age, 33; residence, Inland; nativity, Ohio; mus- 
tered, October 5, 1861; appointed Captain October 5, 1861; mustered 
out, expiration of term, October 26, 1864. 

ROBERT McWILLIAM— Age, 36; residence, Grinnell; nativity, Scotland; 
enlisted, September 23, 1864; mustered, September 23, 1864; private; 
mustered out, July 2, 1865. 

GEORGE G. MAIN — Age, 32; residence, Lowden; nativitv. New York; en- 
listed, September 19, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; 4th Corporal; 
wounded, January 15, 1864; mustered out, July 8, 1865. 

JAMES MARTIN — Age, 19; residence, LeClaire; nativity, Ohio; enlisted, 
August 26, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; prisoner, October 
4, 1862; reenlisted, January 1, 1864; private; killed in battle, June 15, 
1864. 

SAMUEL, METCALF — Age, 25; residence, Tipton; nativity, Vermont; en- 
listed, August 20, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; mustered 
out, expiration of term, October 17, 1864. 

GEORGE MOONEY — Age, 22; residence, Tipton; nativity, Ohio; enlisted, 
September 9, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; mustered out, 
October 18, 1864. 

JOHN D. MOORE — Age, 20; residence. Inland; nativity, Indiana; enlisted, 
March 23, 1864; mustered, March 23, 1864; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

DANIEL MOWERY — Age, 24; residence, Tipton; nativity, Pennsylvania; 
enlisted, September 20, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; discharged 
for disabilities, March 27, 1863. 

MARION Z. MUSCHOTZY — Residence, Lookout Station, Mo.; enlisted, 
January 17, 1862; private; deserted, June, 1862. 

FRANCIS NEESE — Age, 21; residence, Fort Dodge; nativitv, Indiana; en- 
listed, September 28, 1864; mustered, September 28, 1864; private; 
mustered out, June 2, 1865. 

REUBEN NEESE — Age, 26; residence. Fort Dodge; nativity, Indiana; 
enlisted, September 28, 1864; mustered, September 28, 1864; private; 
died of disease, March 2, 1865. 

HENRY NEWANS — Age, 18; residence, Tipton; nativity, Canada; enlisted, 
September 23, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; reenlisted, 
January 1, 1864; private; wounded, July 22, 1864; mustered out, July 
15, 1865. 

JAMES NEWCOM — Age, 26; residence, Tipton; nativity, Pennsylvania; 
enlisted, October 17, 1861; mustered, October 17, 1861; veteran; re- 
enlisted, January 1, 1864; private; 5th Corporal; 3d Corporal, January 
1, 1863; 2d Corporal May 1, 1864; 3d Sergeant October 27, 1864; 1st 
Sergeant January 1, 1865; 2d Lieutenant July 29, 1865; mustered out, 
July 15, 1865. 

FOREST NOWLIN — Age, 18; residence, Davenport; nativity, Pennsyl- 
vania; enlisted, October 10, 1864; mustered, October 10, 1864; private; 
mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

CULVER ORRIN— See Orrin Culver. 



'See Downing's Civil War Diary, p. 222. 



308 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

WILLIAM PATTEN— Age, 19; residence, Tipton; nativity, Indiana; en- 
listed, September 26, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; re- 
enlisted, January 1, 1864; private; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

AARON PEARCE — Age, 21; residence, Tipton; nativity, Ohio; enlisted, 
September 22, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; reenlisted, 
January 1, 1864; private; prisoner, missing in action July 22, 1864; 
mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

ABRAHAM PENCE — Rejected October 5, 1861. 

ALEXANDER RAGAN — Age, 18; residence, Tipton; nativity, Pennsyl- 
vania; enlisted, April 20, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; died 
of disease, September 9, 1863. 

EBENEZER RANKIN — Age, 22; residence, Mechanicsville; nativity, Ire- 
land; enlisted, September 26, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; 
4th Corporal; mustered out expiration of term, October 17, 1864. 

JAMES RANKIN — Age, 21; residence, Mechanicsville; nativity, Ireland; 
enlisted, September 26, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; re- 
enlisted, January 1, 1864; private; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

EDWIN D. REAVES — Age, 21; residence, Tipton; nativity Ohio; enlisted, 
September 21, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; discharged for 
disabilities, April 15, 1863. 

CHRISTIAN REIGART— Age, 18; residence, Tipton; nativity, Pennsyl- 
vania; enlisted, September 28, 1861; mustered October 5, 1861; private; 
discharged for disabilities, November 2, 1861. 

JOHN T. RICE — Age. 22; residence, Lowden; nativity, Virginia; enlisted. 
September 17, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; died of dis- 
ease, April 19, 1862. 

ROSCOE R. ROYSTER — Age, 29; residence Fort Dodge; nativity, Iowa; 
enlisted, September 28, 1864; mustered, September 28, 1864; private: 
mustered out, June 2, 1865. 

BURTIS H. RUMSEY — Age, 18; residence, Tipton; nativity, Ohio; enlisted, 
October 1, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; reenlisted, Janu- 
ary 1, 1864; private; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

JAMES K. RUMSEY — Age 23; residence, Davenport; nativity, Ohio; .en- 
listed, April 6, 1864; mustered April 6, 1864; private; died of disease, 
February 2, 1865. 

JAMES RYON — Age, 27; residence, Davenport; nativity, Canada; enlisted, 
October 12, 1864; mustered, October 12, 1864; private; deserted, No- 
vember 13, 1864. 

ALBERT B. SILES — Age, 23; residence, Wyoming; nativity, New York; 
enlisted, September 28, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; 7th Corporal; 
2d Corporal; mustered out expiration of term, October 17, 1864. 

GEORGE W. SIMMONS — Age, 22; residence, Tipton; nativity, Ohio; en- 
listed, September 21, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; 
wounded, April 6, 1862; died of wounds, May 12, 1862. 

WILSON SIMMONS — Age, 21; residence, Tipton; nativity, Ohio; enlisted. 
September 23, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; died of disease, 
April 15, 1862. 

ADAM C. SMITH — Age, 29; residence, Tipton; nativity, New York; en- 
listed, Auejust 20, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; private; died of 
disease, 1863. 

JASON C. SPARKS — Age, 21; residence, Le Grand; nativity, Indiana; en- 
listed. March 31, 1864; mustered, March 31, 1864; private; mustered 
out, July 15, 1865. 

WILLIAM SPENCER — Age, 26; residence, Davenport; nativity, Pennsyl- 
vania; enlisted, August 20, 1861: mustered, October 5, 1861; 2d Ser- 
geant; 2d Lieutenant October 1, 1862; Captain October 27, 1864; 
mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

ORLANDO STOUT — Age, 18; residence, Tipton; nativity, Iowa; enlisted. 
September 21, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; reenlisted. 
January 1, 1864; private; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

DANIEL E SWEET — Age, 23; residence, Tipton; nativity, Pennsylvania; 
enlisted, August 20, 1861; October 5, 1861; veteran; reenlisted, Janu- 
ary 1, 1864; 2d Corporal; 1st Corporal; 5th Sergeant May 1, 1864; 3d 
Sergeant January 1, 1865: mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

• 1EORGE SWEET — Age, 18; residence, Tipton; nativity, Wisconsin; en- 
listed January 1, 1864; mustered, January 6, 1864; private; killed in 
battle, July 22, 1864. 

HENRY L SWEET — Age, 20; residence, Tipton; nativity, Pennsylvania; 
enlisted, August 20, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; 8th Corporal; 
died of disease, May 4, 1862. 



ROLL OF CO. E. 309 

HENRY M. SWIFT — Age, 18; residence, Boone county; nativity, Missouri; 
mustered, December 19, 1861; private; died of disease, June 23, 1862. 

MILTON SWIFT — Supposed to be Henry M. Swift. 

ODELL THORNE — Age, 20; residence, Louden; nativity, Ohio; enlisted. 
September 17, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; reenlisted. 
January 1, 1864; private; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

GEORGE M. TITUS — Age, 22; residence, Louden; nativity, Pennsylvania; 
enlisted, September 18, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; re- 
enlisted, January 1, 1864; fifer; 5th Sergeant January 1, 1865; mus- 
tered out, July 15, 1865. 

JOSEPH TOMLINSON — Age, 24; residence, Tipton; nativity, New York; 
enlisted, September 14, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; re- 
enlisted, Januarv 1, 1864; private; 3d Sergeant; 1st Sergeant May 1, 
1864; 1st Lieutenant December 17, 1864; Captain July 29, 1865; mus- 
tered out, July 15, 1865. 

GEORGE W. TOYNE — Age, 27; residence, Tipton; nativity, England; en- 
listed, August 20, 1862; mustered, August 30, 1862; private; mustered 
out, June 2, 1865. 

GEORGE W. TUTHILL — Age, 30; residence, Davenport; nativity, New 
York; enlisted, March 25, 1864; mustered, March 25, 1864; private; 
mustered out, July 11, 1865. 

PETER VINRICHE — Age, 32; residence, Louden; nativity, France; en- 
listed. September 18, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; re- 
enlisted, January 1, 1864; private; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

SALEM WADE — Age, 21; residence, Davenport; nativity. New York; en- 
listed, September 23, 1864; mustered, September 23, 1864; private; 
mustered out, June 2, 1865. 

LEROY WALDO — Age, 22; residence, Davenport; nativity, Ohio; enlisted, 
September 28, 1864; mustered, September 28, 1864; private; mustered 
out, June 2, 1865. 

DARIUS WATERHOUSE — Age, 25: residence, Davenport; nativity, New 
York; enlisted, January 27, 1864; February 11, 1864; private; mus- 
tered out, July 15, 1865. 

JOHN A. WHITE — Age, 22; residence, Wyoming; nativity, Michigan; en- 
listed, September 20, 1S61; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; re- 
enlisted, January 1, 1864; 5th Corporal; 4th Sergeant October 16, 1862; 
3d Sergeant Mav 1, 1864; 2d Lieutenant October 27, 1864; 1st Lieuten- 
ant, July 29, 1865; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

MILTON G WAGGINS — Age, 18; residence, Tipton; nativity, Ohio; en- 
listed, September 9, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; veteran; re- 
enlisted, January 1, 1864; private; 8th Corporal April 25, 1862; 7th 
Corporal; 5th Corporal January 1, 1864; 4th Corporal; 2d Corporal 
January 1, 1865; mustered out, July 15, 1865. 

GEORGE T. WILLCOTT — Age, 20; residence, Inland; nativity, Ohio; en- 
listed, August 20, 1861; mustered, October 5, 1861; died of disease, 
May 12, 1862. 

JOHN ZITLER — Age, 19; residence, Tipton; nativity, Pennsylvania; en- 
listed, September 24, 1861; mustered. October 5, 1861; veteran; re- 
enlisted, Januarv 1, 1864'; wounded, June 15, 1864; mustered out, July 
15, 1865. 



310 



INDEX 

Abbeville, taken, 85, 86; army left, 88; 

Abercrombie, Major, drilled Eleventh Iowa after Shiloh, 44; in com- 
mand of regiment, 49; drill by, 83; 

Ackworth, Ga., train through, 217, 219, 

Adairsville, Ga., marched through, 221. 

Albin, John, wounded, 198, 

Alexandria, Va., army at, 276, 

Alexander, William, killed, 197, 

Allee, Albert, mustered out, 222, 

Allotment rolls, inaugurated, 84; discontinued, 133 

Anderson, Lieutenant, return of, 48; captain, arrived with conscripts, 
226 

Armstrong, Thomas, loan from, 183; loan, 218, 

Army of Cumberland, on march through Georgia, 229, 

Army of the Tennessee, on march through Georgia, 229, 

Argo, Jeremiah, 180; to the front, 214 

Atlanta, Georgia, movement upon, 199; battles around, 209; field hos- 
pital, 214; provisions for army, 226; to be evacuated, 227; citi- 
zens leaving for north, 227; raid on, 228; evacuated, 229; 

Ayers, John I. mustered out, 222, 

Baker, Nathaniel B., Adjutant General of Iowa, in charge of Camp Mc- 

Clellan, 5; reviewed Eleventh Iowa, 17; at the front, speech, 120, 
Bain, Samuel, loan, 218, 

Baltimore and Ohio railroad, station of, 280; long tunnel, 281, 
Banks, General, at Port Hudson, 121, 132 
Barrett, William, loan from, 228, 
Batderf, John, company cook, 12 
Bayou Lee, crossed, 137. 

Bayou Mason, army through, 137, camp near, 139, 
Bayou Said, camp near, 138 
Beauregard, General, evacuating Corinth, 50 
Belknap, General W. W., home on leave, 284; speech by, 288 
Beaufort, S. C, army landed, 245; description of, 245, 
Benton Barracks, at St. Louis, 19; parade ground at, 20; accident at, 

20, 21 
Benton Station, on Savannah railroad, 233, 
Bentonville, N. C, rebels fortified at, 262, 263, battle of, 263, 
Bible, presented by John Moore, 11; reading, 40; discussion about, 57; 

reading of, 106, 107, 108 
Big Black river, bridge across, 116; camp at, 125, 129; on guard at, 

126; post at, 155; camping grounds, 165; return to, 171, 
Big Shanty, bivouac at, 195, 196; supplies removed from, 283; train 

through, 217; railroad at, 220; destruction of railroad, 228, 
Blair, General, division of, 113, 115; command of, 118; command of 

Seventeenth Corps, 188; in grand review, 277, 
Blazer, Monroe, loan, 218 
Bolivar, Tennessee, 60; on guard, 62; "corporal the guard," 63; on 

picket at, 64; night 'watch, 66; Fort Hall, 67; leave, 68 
Boonesboro, Missouri, raid on, 24 
Boonville, Missouri, 24; in pest-house, 25 
Bounty, veterans', 156, 157; expiration of, 161; money, 173 
Bragg, General, at Corinth, 77; defeated at Dalton, 156; retreating, 157 
Brandon, Miss., burned, 167 



INDEX 31] 



Brown, Abraham, died in hospital, 161 

Buckman, John R., killed at Shiloh, 42 

Buell, General, arrived at Shiloh, 42; to central Tennessee, 52 

Burnside, General, expedition, 121; at Chattanooga, 143 

Cadle, Richard, quartermaster of Eleventh Iowa, 15 

Cairo, Illinois, 36, 37; concentration camp, 174, 175, 183; description 
of, 184; transports back to, 185 

California, Missouri, 25; flagpole raising, 26; company to, 33; hospital 
at, 34; leaving, 35 

Camp, routine, at Camp McClellan, 14; life in, 20; newspapers in, 21; 
at Savannah, Tennessee, 37; in Jones' field, 38; unhealthy, 
change of, 46, 47, 48, 49, 52; clean up for inspection, 55; near 
Corinth, 72; beautiful camping ground, 76; in fine shape, 79; on 
Scott creek, 81; flooded, moved, 73; near Abbeville, 86; receive 
mail, 91; smallpox in, 92, 93; at Memphis, 94; camp on Missis- 
sippi, 96, 97; moved to higher ground, 98; muddy, smallpox in, 
101; moved, 106; excellent, 110; Vicksburg, 111; sickness in, 
131, 141; poor ground, 132; protecting from sun, 133; good, 134; 
dangerous, 138; bunks, 142; reading, and writing letters, 146; 
at home again, 148; flooded, built new, 150, 151; wash day in, 
157; inspection of, 158; duties light, 162; guarded by convales- 
cents, 166; cleaning up, preaching in, 172; at Cairo, 183; rob- 
bery in, 184; at Clifton, routine, 186; lying in, making repairs, 
192; at Atlanta, 217; at Galesville, 223, 224; leave, at Gales- 
ville, 225; at Atlanta, 228; in Georgia swamps, 233; in rice 
plantation, 237; in Savannah, 239; quiet, in, 241; in pine timber, 
245; fuel for, 246; lie in camp, 252; before Columbia, 253; in 
bivouac at Cheraw, 258; at Goldsboro, 264; building "ranches," 
265; routine, 265, 266; near Raleigh, 269; return to, 271; preach- 
ing in, 272; at Alexandria, 276; at Washington, D. C, 277; tem- 
perance address in, 279; light duties, 280; at Louisville, 282; 
moved, 283; waiting in, 285; description of, 286; get passes to 
city, 287; last Sunday in, 288; at camp McClellan, 289 

Camp McClellan, at Davenport, 5; return to, 6; troops from Tipton 
arrive at, 11; concentration at, 181, 182; return to, 288; receive 
discharge at, 289 

Canton, Miss., camp at, 170, 171 

Cape Fear river, 260 

Cape Girardeau, Missouri, 36 

Carey, Lieutenant Alfred, to solicit recruits, 152; wounded, note, 198; 
in hospital, death of, 206; burial of, 207 

Carterville, Georgia, evacuated, 193; base of supply, 194; marched 
through, 221 

Carthage, La., train through, 112; loading boats at, 114. 

Cave Springs, village of, 225 

Cedartown, Ga., in bivouac, 225 

Centralia, 111., passed through, 175; stopped at, 183 

Chambers, Captain Alexander, of regular army, 12; battery of six guns, 
38; Colonel, command Iowa Brigade, 120; released from com- 
mand, 127; again command of Iowa Brigade, 128; command of 
post, 131; General, review by, 164 

Champion Hills, battle of, 116. 

Chapel Hill, N. C, Johnson's army at, 269 

Chaplain, preaching in camp, 13; regular preaching by, 15, 17; no 
preaching, 28; new chaplain, 62; without, 86; preached to regi- 
ment, 98; without, 105; sermon, first in six months, 123; at hos- 
pital, Rome, 208 



312 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 



Charleston, S. C, news from, 131; besieged, 143; army at, 162; pris- 
oners sent to, 234 

Chase, Nathan, in fight, 78; a veteran, 159; got into trouble, 185 

Chattahoochee river, army along, 203, 204 

Chattanooga, Tennessee, taken, 143; lost to South, 156; bivouac on 
river, 192; railroad from, 193; railroad destroyed, 200; hospital 
equipment, 214; surplus supplies, 225; army to, 227 

Cheraw, S. C, manufacturing center, 258; burned, 259 

Chickamauga river, battle on, 143 

Chrisman, Elmore, wounded at Shiloh, 42 

Christmas, first in army, 26; gloomy, 89; officers' episode, 159; lone- 
some, 254 

Christmas, Major, on furlough, 133 

Citizens, in Vicksburg, 154; gold and silver of, 158; for military duty, 
159; without passes, 162; fled, 167; not molested, 170; levy on, 
171; leaving, 190; destitute, 191; sorrow in home, 192; vacating 
war zone, 204; leaving Rome, Ga., 205; at Rome, 206; agitation 
of, 208; removal of, 217, 218; flee, 226; gather at Atlantic, 227; 
flee, 230, 231, 234; oath of allegiance at Savannah, 240, 242; left 
destitute, 249; back on farms, 274; cheering soldiers, 281 

Clarenceville, Tennessee, town of, note, 188 

Clark, Henry, veteran of Company E, 180, 182 

Clark, Joel H., elected orderly, 10; "scouting" expedition, 30 

Clifton, Tennessee, army to, 184; journey to, 185; in camp at, 186; 
town of, 187 

Clinton, Miss., pass through, 130; taken, 166 

Clothing, orders concerning, 16; settlement for, 51; for regiment, 58; 
consignment of, 83; need of, 89; bill of, 90; from storage, 95; 
overcoats and blankets for regiment, 103, 119; discarded, 113; 
allowance for, 127; for regiment, 133; washing, 141; new uni- 
forms, 185; for regiment, 190; in hospital, 211; waiting for, 226; 
wearing out, 235; consignment of, 244; mending, 261; shoes, 
262; distributed, 265; washing and cleaning, 277; cleaning, 283; 
money allowed for, 284 

Cold Water, Miss., marched through, 90 

Cole, David, letter from, 219 

Columbia, S. C, State road to, 252; capture of, 253, 254; burning of, 
254; explosions at, 255 

Columbus, Miss., Johnson's army at, command of, 131 

Company E, Eleventh Iowa Infantry, completed, election of officers, 
10, 12; nativity of men in, 13; uniforms for, inspection, 19; 
proud of drillmaster, 20; after "secesh," 24; in winter quarters, 
26, 27; vaccination of men, 29, 31; religious services, 30; cele- 
bration of fall of Forts Henry and Donelson, 33; return to Cali- 
fornia, 33; company cook, 33; prayer meeting, 32, 33, 34; mend- 
ing clothes, 35; on boat, 36; last drill by Compton, 40; in battle 
of Shiloh, 41, 42; rifles from battlefield, 44; at Bolivar, Tennes- 
see, 64; on Patrick's plantation, 65, 66; on forage, 71; washing 
squads, 78; corporal reduced, 81; danger from sharpshooters, 
86; inspection of, 110; skirmish line, 117; in cotton sheds, 119; 
in the canebreakes, 121; reserve and police duty, 121, 122, 123; 
joins regiment on Big Black River, 125; furloughs, note, 133; 
picket service, 142, 143; in form again, 145; enlistments in, 158; 
veterans of, 159, 160; veteran company, 161; election of officers, 
164; veterans greeted, 176, 177; dinner for, 178; reported for 
duty, 182; on skirmish line, 197; lying quiet, losses, 198; throw- 
ing up rifle pits, 201; on skirmish line, 202; non-veterans mus- 
tered out, 222; reorganized, 238; losses in, 243; on picket duty, 
247; impatient to move, 248; moved forward, 249; on provost 



INDEX 313 



guard, 260; subscription for Cornell College, 261; on skirmish 
line, 263; settled for clothing, 284; men purchase rifles, 287; 
bidding farewell, 289; 

Compton, John F., Englishman, drill-master, 9, 10; chosen first lieu- 
tenant, 10; in manual of arms, 15; praise for, 20; New Year's 
chicken dinner to company, 27; after "secesh" assassin, 29, 33; 
drills company for last time, 40; killed at Shiloh, 42 

Congaree river, struggle for, 253 

Corinth, advance on, 46, 47; evacuation of, 50, 51; Union army in, 
51, 52; fortifications at, 53, 54; deserted, 56; orchards around, 
58; army return to, 68; movements about, 69; important point, 
71; battle of, 73; battlefield of, 76; Government wells at, 77; 
fortifications of, 78; knapsacks in storage, sick in hospital, 80 

Cornell College, commissioner from, 261 

Conscripts, (see Recruits) 

Coosa river, pontoon bridge across, 193, 225, 

Copperheads, to hunt down, 103; denounced, 178; activity of, 179 

Correll, Charles, arrest of, 268 

Croak, George, killed at Shiloh, 42 

Crocker's Brigade, (See Iowa Brigade) 

Crocker, Colonel of Thirteenth Iowa, 15; General in command of bri- 
gade, 82; note, 102; headquarters of, 105; brigadier general, 
command of Iowa brigade, 111; takes command of Seventh Di- 
vision, 112; division at Natchez, 152; in Meridian expedition, 
166; capture of Enterprise, Miss., 168 

Cross, William, in fight, 78; returns from hospital, 200; killed, 203 

Curtis, Homer, at home, 177; visit of, 267 

Cush, George, frightened, 64; a veteran, 159 

Dallas, Ga., enemy to, 220; marched thru, 225, 226 

Dalton, Ga., railroad near, 210; capture of 221, 222; railroad from, 

destroyed, 228 
Daniels, Sylvester, returns home, 9; on furlough, 133 
Davenport, Iowa, camp at, 5; return to, 6; troops arrive at, 11, 175 
Davis, General J. C, in grand review, 277 
Davis, Jefferson, plantation of, 114; news of capture, 276 
Decatur, Miss., camp at, burned, 168; in bivouac, 169; march to, 190: 

army thru, 191 
Decatur, Alabama, army thru, 191 

Deserters, to be brought back, 102, 154; confederate, 199 
"Dog" tents, 82 

Dodge, General, re-enforcements for, 132 

Douglas, Leroy, on picket, 72; a veteran, 160; wounded, note, 198 
Downing, Albert, half brother of Alexander G., 3; letter to, 109, 210 
Downing, Alexander G., in the harvest field, 3, 4; birthday, enlisted, 4; 
to Camp McClellan, his father's advice, note, 5; home on pass, 
back to camp, 6; drill and rations, 7; perplexity of, 8; returns 
home, enrolled in State service, 9; visits home before leaving 
for camp, 10; to Tipton, to Camp McClellan with Eleventh Iowa, 
11; sworn into United States service, cook for company, 12; 
camp routine, 14; received State pay, 17; on the "Father of 
Waters," 18, 19; sent money home, 19; on guard at Benton Bar- 
racks, 20; first experience in tent, 22; first pay from United 
States Government, 23; first march after enemy, 23, 24; expe- 
riences of, 25; Christmas dinner, 26; marked "not fit for duty," 
27; vaccinated, 29, 30; sent money home, 30; cook for mess No. 
1, 31; boat to Cairo, 36; in battle of Shiloh, 40, 43; burying dead, 
44; opinions of Shiloh, note, 44, 45; enters Corinth, 52; sends 
money home, on guard at General Todd's headquarters, 53; first 



314 DOWNINGS CIVIL WAR DIARY 



time on fatigue, 54; picks blackberries, 55; sees doctor, sells 
apple pies, 61; experience, 62; birthday, 63; hard march, 68; 
buys poncho, 69; on picket, 72; at the battle of Corinth, 73; 
description of chase, note, opinion of, 74; first offence and pun- 
ishment, 81; signed allotment role, 84; note, 89; account of sup- 
plies, 90; on guard, 93; loan to Lieutenant Spencer, 94; with 
thirteenth Iowa, work on levee, 97; letter to John D. Moore, 
"likeness" taken, 99; letter to brother John, 100; note, 101; 
diary, 103; guard at headquarters, sent money home, 105; draw 
clothing, 107; reading Bible, 106, 107, 108; cooked for officers' 
mess, 107; letter to Jason Sparks, 108; money sent home, 109, 
133; bread for officers' mess, slept in bed, 111; pay as cook, 112; 
digging trenches, 121; writes letter for comrade, 122; strict or- 
ders on picket, 123, 124; filling canteens, 128; hard experience, 
129; gold pen, 131; views Vicksburg, on patrol, 134, 135; ex- 
perience, 136, 137, 138; opinions of, 140, 141; ague, 142; return 
to duty, 143; on fatigue and provost duty, 144; to church, 145; 
on soldiers' voting, 147; sends money home, 150; paying soldiers, 
153; provost guard, 154; on patrol guard, 156; Christmas din- 
ner, 159; New Year's day prayer, 160; re-enlisted, 161; strict 
orders on patrol, 162; at church services, elected fifth sergeant, 
164; corps headquarters' guard, 166; headquarters' guard, 171; 
on guard at round house, 173; promotion of, started on furlough, 
174; at Cairo, made purchases, reached home, 175; greetings, 
176; dinners at Mrs. Curtis', 177; lamentations, 178, visits, 180; 
expiration of furlough, 181, swapped watches, left for front, 182; 
at Cairo, 183; certificate of discharge, 184; first detail as cor- 
poral, 185; Corporal's squad, 186, 187; outside of pickets, 187; 
expressed feeling, 189; visits cousin, 190; description of battle, 
197; feelings expressed, 199; prayer, 201; taken sick, 202; to 
division hospital, 203; condition, note, 204; to field hospital, 
Rome, Ga., 205; convalescent, 206; describes burial of Carey, 
207; head nurse, 209; resolutions of, birthday of, 210; money 
sent home, 212; ward master, 214; increase of pay, 215; left 
hospital, 216; return to regiment, 217; loans to comrades, 218; 
with comrades climbed Kenesaw Mountain, 220; on picket, ride 
in ambulance, 225, bounty, 227, feet sore from marching, 235; 
promoted to fifth sergeant, 238; obtains Confederate money, 240; 
subscribes for papers, 241; sent money home, 244; observations, 
note, 247; carrying heavy load, 253; notes on Columbia, S. C, 
254; building corduroy, 257; note on S. C, 259; opinion of 
country, 260; last battle, note, 263; with mess at Goldsboro, 265; 
describes camp at Raleigh, 269; rejoicing in camp over John- 
ston's surrender, 270, 271; account of crossing Roanoke river, 
272, 273; ill, decides to march, 274; describes homeward march, 
275; description of grand review, 276, 277; medal of honor, 279; 
description of journey, 281; account of sinking of transport, 
282; command of guard, 283; sent money home, visits Louis- 
ville, 284; attends theater, 285; on Fourth of July, 285, 286; 
estimate of General McPherson, note, 286; sergeant of brigade 
guard, 287; trip home, 288, 289; returns to harvest field, 289, 
290; 

Downing, Andrew, half-brother of Alexander G., 3 

Downing, George, half-brother of Alexander G., 3 

Downing, John, half-brother of Alexander G., letter to, 100; referred 
to, 179 

Downing, Paul, half-brother of Alexander G., 3 

Dressers Battery, 38; location of, 40 

Drilling, at Tipton, 9, 10; at Camp McClellan, 13, note, 16, 17; at Ben- 



INDEX 315 



ton Barracks, 20, 21; on Jones' Field, 39, 40; after Shiloh, 44; 
for punishment, 48; dispensed with, 54, 58; on rough ground, 84; 
brigade and company, 105; division, 107; regimental, 111; on 
march, 112; at Grand Gulf, 113; battalion, 114; renewed, 134; by 
regiments, 148; in marksmanship, 153; regular, 163, 164; new 
recruits, 185; order for, 186; conscripts, 228, 240; regular, 265, 
266; dress parade, 286; last dress parade, 288 

Durbin, Lorenzo D., chosen second lieutenant, 10; arrived in camp, 12; 
after horse thief, 29; scouting, 30 

Dwiggans, John W., wounded at Shiloh, 42; died, note, 48 

Edisto river, army crosses, 251, 252 

Eicher, George, on guard, 93; mustered out, 222 

Eighth Iowa Infantry, forming, 4, 5, 6; four men drummed out, 7 

Election, soldiers' vote, 147; presidential, 227 

Eleventh Iowa Infantry, chaplain of, 7; building barracks, 12; com- 
pleted, 14; guns and equipment, uniforms received by quarter- 
master, 15; first review in new uniforms, orders to leave for 
South, 17; en route for St. Louis, march through Muscatine, 18; 
at Benton Barracks, 19; marching orders, 21; to Jefferson City, 
22; up Missouri River, 23; ordered to California, Missouri, 25; 
in winter quarters, note, 27; regiment reunited, 34; up the 
Tennessee, 37; at Pittsburg Landing, camp of, 38; called under 
arms, 40, battle of Shiloh, 40; directed by Grant, 42; in battle 
of Shiloh, 41-42, second day, 42-43; inspected for pay, 47; on 
picket, 52, 53, 54, 55; guarding orchard, 56; loss from disease, 
59; guarding railroad, 62; routine, 66; leave Iuka, 72; in battle 
of Corinth, 73; on fortifications, 78; note, 80; without chaplain, 
86; pay, 94; start to Vicksburg, 95; to Lake Providence, 99; 
smallpox in, 101; to Greenville, 102; wedge tents for, officers' 
resolutions, 103; pay, 104; Sibly tents for, 105; received En- 
field rifles, 106; toward Vicksburg, 106; pay, 108; health of, 109; 
strength of, 112; through Louisiana plantations, 114; expedi- 
tion of, 116; movements of, 117; sappers of, 120; to rear, 121; 
expedition of, 123; pay of, 127; escort for wagons, 128; Major 
Foster in command, 133; on expedition, 136; rear guard, 137; 
to Vicksburg, 140; no chanplain, 142; picket service, 146, 147, 
148, 149; pay, 153; on picket, 157; re-enlistments, 158; veterans 
sworn in, 159; roll call for re-enlistments, 160; a veteran regi- 
ment, 161; sworn in, 163; election of officers, 164; on furlough, 
174; at Camp McClellan, 181; mustered, on board transports, 
184; new uniforms, 185; rifle pits of, 197; building rifle pits, 
198; to front, 199; on skirmish, 202; charge of, 203; no pay, 218; 
camp of, 220; non-veterans mustered out, 223; six months' -pay, 
227; strong for Lincoln, 227; on train guard, 229; rear guard, 
233; on fortifications, 239; part in campaign, 243; at Pocotaligo, 
246, 247; at Edisto river, 251; cross South river, 262; foraging 
train, 264; new clothes for, 265; complimented on dress parade, 
267; temperance pledge, 280; entrains, 281, on board transports, 
281; muster-rolls signed, 282; received pay, 284; muster-out rolls, 
287; mustered out, 288 

Elkhorn, Tenn., march through, note, 189 

Elseffer, Lewis, elected first sergeant, 164; clerk, 176; letter to, 213; 
letter from, 214 

Esher, John, on guard, 93; wounded, note, 201; in hospital, 208 

Esher, William, on picket, 72 

Fairburn, Ga., march to, 219 
Farmington, Tenn., campaign, 47, 48 



316 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 



Fayetteville, N. C, army at, 260, 261 

Fifteenth Army Corps, to move north, 219; on expedition, 220; at 
Galesville, 223; on return, 225, 229; in engagement, 232; in ad- 
vance, 235; foraging train, 237; reviewed, 240; leave Savannah, 
244; landed at Beaufort, 246; supply trains, 248; at Hicky Hill, 
249; engagement before Columbia, 253; entering Columbia, 254; 
detail from, 255; camp of, 264; on right wing, 267; race with 
Seventeenth Corp, 273; paid off, 283; subscription for monu- 
ment, 286 

Fifteenth Iowa Infantry, in Iowa Brigade, 30; battle of Corinth, 73; 
at Lafayette, 91; guard wagon train, 130; on furlough, 174; on 
transports, 184; to front, 199; on skirmish, 201; in battle, 208; 
on move, 219, 220, 221; on march, 222, 229; train guard, 231; 
landed at Beaufort, 234; received pay, 284. 

Floral College, N. C, near state line, 260 

Foraging, at Lookout Station, 28, 29, 30, 32; government's policy, 57; 
on "secesh" plantation, 60; guards taken off, 62; for corn, 71; 
poor, 77; orders against, 81; cotton, 86, corn and cotton, 87, corn, 
89; scalding water for foragers, 104; oats, 131; green corn, 134; 
on expedition, 137; party caught, 138; sweet potatoes, 139; for 
meat, 167; plenty forage, 168, 170; parties, 169; for meat, 191; 
poor country, 192; parties, 193, 223, 224, 225; plenty forage, 226; 
for meat, 229; on march through Georgia, 230; for meat, 231; 
plenty forage, 232; sweet potatoes and pork, 235; rice in sheaf, 
241; description of foragers, 241; surplus bacon, 251; destruc- 
tion of property, 252; treatment of foragers, 256; country poor, 
257, 258; capture of cars, 258; plenty forage, 259; forage scarce, 
260; exciting episode, 261; clothes taken, 262; parties, 264; for- 
bidden, 272 

Force, Brigadier General, F. M., command at Clifton, 186 

Ford, John, wounded, 122, note, 198; loan, 218; mustered out, 222 

Fort Donelson, taken with prisoners, 33 

Fort Henry, taken, 33; dilapidated, 37 

Fort McAllister, capture of, 237 

Fort Robinet, at Corinth, 73 

Fort Johnson, below Savannah, 241 

Fossett, James M., bunk-mate, 12; on boat, 18; sent to hospital, note, 
22, 26; at home, 177 

Fossett, Thomas, did not re-enlist, 12; of Twenty-fourth Iowa, 177 

Foster, Major Charles, with Le Claire boys, 5; word from, 8; relief for 
Company E, 125; speech on re-enlisting, 161; speech by, 178 

Fourteenth Army Corps, to move north, 219; campaign, 221; at Gales- 
ville, 223; on march through Georgia, 229; destroying railroad, 
231; reviewed by Sherman, 241; to start on raid, 244; flounder- 
ing in mud, 248; on garrison, 260; camp of, 264; on left wing, 
267; arrived at Louisville, 283 

Fourth of July, celebration, 56; fall of Vicksburg, 126; at Louisville, 
Ky., 285, 286 

Frank, Hiram, elected third sergeant, 164; climbing Kenesaw Moun- 
tain, 220 

Fredericksburg, Va., site of battle, 275 

Frink, Carlton, scouting, 29; killed at Shiloh, 42 

Galesville, Ala., concentration at, 223 

Gambling, "chuck luck," 109, 153, 154, 158 

Garden Corners, S. C, headquarters of army, 247, 248 

Glascow, Missouri, captured powder at, 24 

Goldsboro, N. C, 263; in camp at, 264 

Goodrich's Landing, camp at, 136; returned to, 139 



INDEX 317 



Gordon, Ga., camp at, 230; railroad junction, 231 

Grand Gulf, fighting at, prisoners taken, 112, news from, 112; army 
at, 113; boats for, 114; camp at, 115; quiet at, 116 

Grand Junction, marches through, 80; Sixth Division at, 81; provi- 
sions to, 82; camp at, 83; fast at, 86 

Grant, General Ulysses S., Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, 33; reviews 
army at Pittsburg Landing, 39; at Shiloh, 42; confidence in, 78; 
inspection by, 79; command of, 85; inspection by, 88; at Vicks- 
burg, 98; failure of, 112; successes, 115; at Jackson, 116; sur- 
rounding Vicksburg, 117; confident, 122; siege of Vicksburg, 123; 
surrender of Vicksburg, 126; review of Iowa Brigade, 146; orders 
from, 152; at Chattanooga, 155; at Dalton, Ga., 156; praise for, 
157; head of armies, 173; before Richmond, 187, 189; news from, 
193; no news from, 195, 199, 208, 209, 210, 211; engagement, 
212; at Petersburg, 213; no news from, 218; near Richmond, 219; 
at Richmond, 266; receives surrender of Lee, 267; joins Sherman, 
270; review of armies, 267, 277 

Great Pedee river, army crosses, 258 

Green, William, on furlough, 150; to camp McClellan, 180; letter from, 
209; loan, 218; hauling lumber, 265 

Haines' Bluff, army post, 109; attack on, 112; Eleventh Iowa at, 116; 
taken, 117; army at, 119 

Haines, Thomas, experience and death at Shiloh, 41, 42 

Hall, Lieutenant Colonel William, in command at California, Missouri, 
26; at home, 49; returns with Mrs. Hall, from home, 55; return 
from home, 108; wife of, 110; takes command of Iowa Brigade, 
112, 127; again in command of Brigade, 132; in command of regi- 
ment, 145; welcome to comrades, 288 

Halleck, General, command of, 51 

Ham, Mrs. Mary, letter to, 213 

Hardie, General, of Hood's army, 223 

Hare, Colonel Abraham M., of the Eleventh Iowa, arrived in camp, 14; 
in charge of regiment, for drill, 16; in battalion drill, 20; in 
command of First Brigade, 38; inspection of regiment, 39; at 
home, 49; returns to camp, 55; drill, 58; inspection of regiment, 
59; resignation of, 77 

Harper's Ferry, passes through, 281 

Hatch, Mr., party for veterans, 177 

Hatchie river, camp near, 60 

Hazen, General, forces of, 237 

Hemmenway, Mrs., gives a dance, 28 

Hemphill, John, loan, 218 

Hillsboro, Ga., marched through, 230 

Hillsborough, Miss., burned, 167; bivouac, 169 

Hilton, John, furlough for, 208; wounded, note, 213 

Hinkenlooper, General, command of Iowa Brigade, 283 

Hobaugh, David, killed, note, 206, 210. 

Holly Springs, Miss., rations, 81; moved upon, 85; base of supplies, 
87; recaptured, 88; devastation of, 89; recapture of, note, 90 

Holmes' plantation, camp on, 111; planted to cotton, 114 

Hood, General, notice from Sherman, 218; moving north, 219; force 
of, 221; retreating, 223 

Hooker, General, at Port Hudson, 124; command of, 195; charges of, 
200 

Hospital, in siege of Vicksburg, 117; confederate, 138; filled, 141; sick 
improving, 143; boys leaving, 144; near Big Shanty, 203; at 
Marietta, 204, at Rome, Ga., 204, 205; description of, 206, 207; 
preaching services, 208; scrub day, 209; crowded, routine, 211, 



318 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 



212; men leaving, note, 213; changes in, 214; services slacken- 
ing, 215 

Howard, General O. O., with Sherman, 248; command of right wing, 
249; orders from, 271; in grand review, 277 

Huff, David, returns home, 9; on picket, 72; elected second sergeant, 
164; died in hospital, 211 

Hunter, General, reviewed Iowa Brigade, 161 

Huntsville, Ala., transports for, 183; destination, 184; driving cattle 
toward, 186; knapsacks sent to, 189; army at, description of, 
190; tents stored at, 217 

Hurlbut, General, after Price, 74; division, 166; tax on citizens, 171 

Illinois Central, railroad, 175; over the, 182 

Inland, la., peace meeting at, 4; enlisted men at, 5; boys from, 9, 176; 
loyal people of, 177; meeting at, 178 

Iowa Brigade, announcement of, 30; formation of, 46; movement on 
Corinth, 48; camp of, 61; garrisoning Iuka, 70, 71; at battle of 
Corinth, 73; praise of, 102; resolutions by officers, 104; embarked 
for Vicksburg, 110; quarters of, 111; loses Croker, Colonel Hall 
in command of, 112; expedition of, 118, 119; on Big Black River, 
124; health of men, 128; return to Big Black river, 131; to Vicks- 
burg, 132; rumored expedition, 134; on expedition, 136; lead in 
march, 140; building camp, 144; recovering health, 144; relief 
expedition, 147; target shooting, 153; becomes veteran brigade, 
161; in expedition, 165; preparing to leave on furlough, 173; non- 
veteran battalion, 174; in charge of cattle, 186; note, 206; news 
from, 208; at Atlanta, note, 213; destroying railroad, 231; train 
guard, 234; embarked for Beaufort, 244; in engagement, 246; 
inspected, 247; review of, 266; Thirty-Second Illinois, taken from, 
271; leaving Washington, 281; escort for General Sherman, 285 

Irwinton, Ga., bivouac near, 231 

Iuka, Mississippi, battle of, 69, 70; evacuation of, 72 

Jackson, Miss., Johnson at, 127, 128; taken, 130; recaptured, 148, 166 

Jefferson City, Missouri, 22; in camp, 24; headquarters, leave, 25; 
return to, 36 

Johnson, Frank, a veteran, 160 

Johnston, General Joseph E., in siege of Vicksburg, 118; on Big Black 
river, 122, 123; cut off, 125; at Jackson, 128; retreating, 130; at 
Columbus, 131; forces of, 194; estimated force, 197, 263; sur- 
rendering to Sherman, 268; agrees to terms of surrender, 269; 
surrenders to Sherman, 270; men and munitions of, 271; soldiers 
of, 272 

Jones' Field, camp of Eleventh Iowa, 38, 39; parade ground, 39, 40; 
after battle of Shiloh, 42, 43 

Kansas, First Infantry, 96; infantry in skirmish, 100 

Kenesaw Mountain, 195; battle of, 197; held by confederates, 199; 

lines around, 202; rebels left, 203; expedition towards, 219 
Keokuk, la., "secesh" fight at, 6; false report, 7; Eleventh Iowa at, 18 
Kilpatrick, General, cavalry of, 232; to start on raid, 244; as rear 
guard, 249; pursuit of enemy, 263; to leave for north, 271; cav- 
alry of, 274 
Kingston, Ga., passed through, 193; train through, 216; marched 

through, 221 
Kingston, N. C. (Kinston), supplies from, 264 
Kirkwood, Governor Samuel J., visits troops on train, 11 

La Grange, Tenn., provisions from, 83; knapsacks in storage, 84, 85, 
89, 92 



INDEX 319 



Lafayette, Term., on guard at, 90, 91 

Lake Providence, La., levee at, 99; cemetery, 100; fire in, 102; flooded, 
105, 106; desolation of, 107; levee at, 108; waters from lake, 131 

Laport, Robinson, letter to, 196 

La Salle, 111., passed through, 175, 182 

Lauman, General, division of, 116; arrival of, 118 

Le Claire, la., boys from, 5; to raise company, 8; boys from, at Tip- 
ton, 9 

Lee, General Robert E., news from, 115; news of battle of Gettysburg. 
128; report from, 196; surrender of, 267 

Lett, John, cook for officers' mess, 122 

Liberty Hill, S. C., bivouac at, 256 

Lichtenwalter, Solomon, sent money by, 183 

Liggett, General, division of, 166; in battle, 197; demonstration of, 200 

Lincoln, President, call for troops, 3; proclamation for fasting and 
prayer, 10; solider vote for, 227; assassination of, 268; sorrow 
for, 278 

Logan, General, command of, 89; division of, 101, 106, 124; at Monroe, 
138; returned to Vicksburg, 140, 148; in command of, 147; divi- 
sion of, 151; charged upon, 198; in grand review, 277; speech 
by, 288 

Long Bridge, army crosses, 276 

Lookout Station, Missouri, winter quarters at, 26, 27; country around, 
30; leave, 33 

Lost Mountain, rebels on, 219 

Louisville, Ky., detachments leaving for, 279, 280, 281; in camp at, 
282; country around, 283; army left, 288 

McArthur, General, inspection of Sixth Division, 79; command of, 82; 
division drill by, 83; headquarters, 98; speech, 108; review by, 
110; inspection by, 145 

McBirney, Hugh C, corporal, 93; mustered out, 222 

McCarty, Padenarin, mustered out, 222 

McClellan, General, retreat from Richmond, 56; small vote for, 227 

McClernand, General John A., command of, 38; reviews division, 39; 
general review by, 40; in battle of Shiloh, 41 

McConnoll, Thomas R., loan, 154; at Cairo, 180, 181; wounded, note, 
198; in hospital, 206; furlough for, 208; on furlough, 212; mus- 
tered out, 222 

McCullough, Ebenezer, died, 62; reference to, 144 

McKibben, Joseph, mustered out, 222 

McLoney, Captain Samuel S., provisional, company disbanded, 8; com- 
pany for the state service, 9; chosen captain, 10; on scout, 32; 
returns from furlough, 55; pay to Downing, 112; musters com- 
pany, relief of company, 125; on furlough, 141; re-elected cap- 
tain, 164 

McLoney, Ezra, Sergeant, killed at Shiloh, 42 

McPherson, General, Seventeenth Army Corps, 82; camp of, 99; inspec- 
tion by, 103; headquarters of, 117, 120; inspection by, 145; speech 
on re-enlisting, 161; headquarters of, 167, 168, 169; at Canton, 
170, 171; corps, 184; command of, 195; killed, note, 206; monu- 
ment for, 286 

Macon, Ga., engagement near, 230, 232 

Mail, at Lookout Station, 32; at Memphis, 91; at Lake Providence, 

100; none received, 127; in hospital, 214, 216; at Atlanta, 217; 

at Kingston, 221; last before march thru Georgia, 228 
Main, George G., wounded, note, 198 
"Marching through Georgia," first hint of, 224, 227; preparation for, 



320 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

228; start on, 229; number of men, 229; destruction of prop- 
erty, 233 

Marietta, Ga., evacuation of, 202, 203; sick and wounded to, 204; the 
wounded from, 209; railroad at, 219; possible destruction of, 228 

Marlow Station, Ga., skirmish with rebels, 235 

Martin, James, a veteran, 160; killed, note, 198 

Memphis, concentration at, 91; provisions from, 92; camp at, 94; 
leaving, 95; hospital at, 114; stop at, 175 

Memphis and Charleston Railroad, guarding, 90; country along, 92 

Meridian, Miss., expedition to, 162, 165; captured, 168; destruction of 
railroads about 169; orders on expedition, 171; results of expe- 
dition to, 171, 172 

Metcalf, Samuel, loan, 218; mustered out, 222 

Michigan City, passed through, 288 

Milledgeville, Ga., marched through, 229 

Millen, Ga., army through, 233; rebel prison at, 234 

Milliken's Bend, camp at, 110 

Mills, William, of Sanitary Commission, 109 

Mobile, Ala., riots in, 144; surrender of Fort Morgan, 213 

Money, Confederate, plenty and cheap, 240. 

Mooney, George, mustered out, 222 

Monroe, La., railroad to, 111; expedition to, 136; description of, 138; 
expedition to, note, 141 

Moore, John, Mexican war veterans, 12, 181 

Moore, John D., presents Bible to Alexander G. Downing, 11, 12; let- 
ter to, 85, 99; enlisted, 176; to camp McClellan, 180; climbed 
Kenesaw Mountain, 220; hauling lumber, 265; money sent home, 
284 

Moore, Miss, letters to soldiers, 196 

Morton, Miss., burned, 167 

Moscow, Tenn., march through, 90 

Mower, General, 224; losses, 250; in grand review, 277 

Muscatine, Iowa, Eleventh Iowa at, 18 

Nashville, Tenn., hospital equipment, 214 

Negroes, servants adopted, 57; built breastworks, 60; on plantation, 
65; at Holly Springs, 85; at work, 97; work on canal, 100; pick- 
ing cotton, 101; entering army, 104; work by, 105; regiments 
of, 108; regiments at Duck's Point, 120; refugees, 131, 136, 148; 
regiments of, 143; washing clothes, 157; military duty, 159; 
refugees from Meridian, 169, 170; troops for Rome, Ga., 208; 
carried off, 231; on line of march, 232; put to work, 238; huts 
on plantations, 247; women farming, 252; putting in crops, 259; 
refugees and contrabands, 261 

Neuse river, 262; rebels crossed, 264; army crosses, 271 

Newans, H., a veteran, 160; wounded, 210 

Newbern, N. C, supplies from, 264 

Newcom, James, a veteran, 160 

Nick-a-Jack, Creek, works along, 202; army along, 203 

Oak Ridge, camp on, 137, 138, 139 

Ockmulgee Mills, Ga., on river, 230 

Oconee, river, army crosses, 231 

Ogeechee river, bivouac on, 223; rebels fortifying at, 232; bivouac on* 

233; crossed, 234; King's bridge over, removing torpedoes from,. 

238 
Ohio river, rising, 183 
Oliver Station, army at, 234 
Orangeburg, S. C, town of 252 



INDEX 321 

Ord, General, army of, 127; in pursuit of enemy, 128; in battle of Ben- 

tonville, 263; in command of Petersburg, 273 
Osterhaus, General, charge of, before Atlantic, 200 
Oxford, Miss., army at, 87, 88; college at, 88 

Paducah, Ky., stopped at, 37 

Pamunky river, army crossed, 275 

Parkersburg, Ohio, train through, 281 

Patrick, plantation of, 65, 66 

Pay, of soldiers, increased, 209, 215; soldiers send money home, 108 

Pearl river, crossed, 129, 130, 166, 170 

Pemberton, General, siege of Vicksburg, 123; note, 121, 125; sur- 
render, 126 

Perkins' Landing, below Vicksburg, 114, plantation, 114 

Petersburg, Va., Grant near, 212, 213; Sherman's army through, 273 

Pierce, Aaron, missing, 210 

Pitts, B. F. Brigadier General, in command, 284 

Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., mobilization at, 37, 38; troops returning to, 
52; teams to, 53; reminder of, 186 

Pocotaligo, S. C, on guard at, 246, 248; new landing near, 248 

Pomutz, Major, command of non-veterans, 174 

Pope, General, command of, 47, 48, 50, 51 

Port Hudson, report from, 97, 104; siege of, 115, 121, 122; reports from, 
124 

Posten's Grove, church at, 4 

Potomac river, 124; army of, 134, 276 

Preaching, (see Chaplain). 

Price, General, retreat from Corinth, 74 

Price, Hiram, provisioning troops, note, 7 

Prisoners, taken north, 95; taken, 112, 113; at Jackson, Miss., 128; 
paroled at Vicksburg, 129; to Vicksburg, 130; leaving Vicksburg, 
132; at Atlanta, 202; at Union, at Millen, 234; placed in advance, 
236; retaliation in treatment of, 248; treatment of, retaliation, 
258 

Providence, Missouri, 23 

Provisions, expensive, 98; hauling, 113, 114; trains of, 128, 129; trains 
unmolested, 130; high price, 132, 150; hauling, 144; market 
house for, 154, 155; trains, 169; transports and wagons for, 180; 
wagon trains, 192; distribution of, 204; supply trains, 224; nine 
trains of, 226; supply train, 231; by boat, 238; hauling, 247, 248; 
difficulties of hauling, 257 

Pulaski, Tenn., army at, 189 

Purdy, Tenn., 47 

Quimby, General, division of, 102; division of, 105, 109, 110. 

Ragan, Alexander, death of, 144 

Raleigh, N. C, occupied, 268; army at, 269 

"Ranches," built of ponchos, 196; built from vacant houses, 226; built 
at Savannah, 239; at Goldsboro, 264; description of, 265; at 
Washington, 279; shelter of, 280, 286 

Rankin, Ebenezer, mustered out, 222 

Rankin, James, becomes veteran, 160 

Rations, at Camp McClellan, 7, 11; served on long tables, 17; first 
taste of hard-tack, 19; preparation of, 23; at Lookout Station, 
28, 29; prepared by company cook, 33; cooking on boat, 36; 
wild fruit, 54, 55; apples and peaches, 58; bacon and fruit, etc., 
58, 59, 62; cooking, 63; foraging for, 71; out of, 75; "gruel," 81, 
82; short, arrived, 82; hauling, 83; portions, 84; full, 86; burned, 



322 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 

88; half, 89; hot coffee, 90; short of, 91; arrived, 92; draw full, 
93; high cost, 98; desiccated potatoes, 101; cost of potatoes, on 
march, 109; variety, 112; waiting for, 118; wild fruit, 122, 124, 
125; issued to Confederates, 126; green corn, 130; high cost of, 
132; fresh bread, 133, 134; to negroes, 136; high at Vicksburg, 
150; twenty days', 165; short, received, 169; beef cattle, 186; 
cooking, 189; short of, 192; at Kingston, 193; full, 195, 200; 
foraging for, 223; forty days, 229; sweet potatoes and fresh 
pork, 230; three-fifths, 231; two-thirds, 232; two-fifths, 233, 236; 
rice in hull, 237; drew hard-tack, 238; on full rations, 239; one- 
third, 240; half, fresh oysters, 241; half, 242; two-thirds, 243; 
variety of, foraged, 251; full, 265; loaded, 266 

Recruits, arrived from Iowa, 82; in manual of arms, 185; drilling at 
Clifton, 186; conscripts from Iowa, 226; drilling conscripts, 228 

Redstone, expedition to, 159 

Remington, Chauncy; chaplain for Eleventh Iowa, 62 

Reseca, Ga., marched through, 221 

Rice, John T., wounded at Shiloh, 42; died, 42; burial of, 45 

Richmond, La., army through, 111 

Richmond, Va., news from, 57, 115, 196; no news from, 200; objective, 
244; capture of, 266; go by way of, 271; condition of, 274 

Rifles, Belgian, distributed, 39, 41; from battlefield, 44; Springfield 
rifles, 183; Enfield exchanged for, 184; men purchase their, 287 

Roanoke river, army crossing, episode, 272, 273 

Rome, Ga., en route for, 190, 191; passed through, 193; sick and 
wounded to, 204; hospital at, 205; conditions at, 209; quiet at, 
212, 213, 214; threatened, 215 

Rosecrans, General, at Iuka, 69, 70; division of, 89; report from, 104; 
at Chattanooga, 143; defeat of, 146; command of, 159 

Rumsey, Burtis, sickness of, 54; becomes veteran, 180; loan, 218 

Salkehatchie river, struggle for possession of, 250 

Saluda river, cotton mills on, 253 

Sanitary Commission, goods from, 108, 109; goods distributed, 245; 
service of, 281; 

Savannah, Ga., march toward, 234; approach to, 235; camp near, 236; 
advance upon, 238; evacuated by rebels, 239; description of, 239, 
240; citizens take oath of allegiance, 241, 242; to be fortified, 
242; fortifications at, 243; 

Savannah, Tenn., landing at, men in camp, 37 

Schofield, General, department of, 159; possession of Goldsboro, 263; 
army of, 264; command of left wing, 267; at Raleigh, 271; in 
grand review, 277 

Scott County Fair, 8 

Sebastopol, Ga., destroying railroad to, 233 

Second Illinois Cavalry, 23 

Second Iowa Cavalry, in camp at the Fair Grounds, 6; in Camp Halt, 
8; made up of Allen's Grove boys, 13; new troops for, 14; at 
Corinth, 51; back to Corinth, 74 

Seventeenth Army Corps, question of arming negroes, 108; hospital of, 
117; re-enlistments in, 161; raid, 165, 167; provision train of, 
168; on veteran's furlough, 173; supply train, 175; at Cairo, 183; 
reorganized, 184; arrived at Clifton, 187, 188; begins action at 
Atlanta, 195; flank movement, 202; movement of, 203; hospital 
of, 205; the wounded from, 209; veterans of, 216; camp of, 217; 
on move, 219, 220; at Galesville, 223; reviewed, 224; on return, 
225; destroying property, 228; on march through Georgia, 229; 
burned railroad property, 231; reviewed by Sherman, 242; leav- 
ing Savannah, 244; landed at Beaufort, 245; on expedition, 246; 



INDEX 323 



march on State road, 252; on bank of Congeree, 253; entering 
Columbia, 254; marched through Columbia, 255; threw up forti- 
fications, 257; foragers of, 258; crosses Cape Fear river, 261 
camp of, 264; on right wing, 267; in review at Raleigh, 269, 270 
started on march homeward, 272; arrived at Petersburg, 273 
in camp near Richmond, 274; receiving pay, 284; subscription 
for monument, 286 

Seward, Secretary, report concerning, 268 

Shepherd, Hamilton, of Bloomfield, Indiana, 190 

Sherman, General, rear of Vicksburg, 85; report from, 91; at Haines' 
Bluffs, 112, 116, 117; against, Johnston, 123; pursuing enemy, 127, 
128; at Jackson, Miss., 128; re-enforcement for, 129; capture 
Jackson, Miss., 130; to Chattanooga, 146; attacked, 153; at 
Knoxville, Tenn., 155; expedition of, 162, 165; driving Johnston, 
193; forces of, 194, 195; episode, note, 200; strategy of, note, 204; 
order from, 208; capture of Atlanta, 213; pursuit of enemy, 214; 
order removing citizens, 217, 218; forces of, 220, 223; through 
Georgia, 231; orders, 236; at close range, note, 240; reviewed 
troops, 241; inspects fire department, 242; left for the front, 248; 
starts on grand raid, 249; at Columbia, note, 255; forces con- 
centrating, 260; to open communications, 263; orders from, 263, 
264; orders for army, 266; negotiations with Johnston, 268; 
terms of surrender of Johntson, 269; reviews army, terms of 
surrender of Johnston, 270; army to start for Washington, 271; 
at Richmond, 274; in grand review, 276, 277; army to be mus- 
tered out, 279; answers critics, 284, 285 

Shiloh, battle of, preliminaries, Union camp, 38, 40; first day, 40-42; 
second day, 42, 43; losses, 42, 43, 48; Mr. Downing's reflections 
on, footnotes, 43, 44, 45; arrival of troops after, 43, 44; celebra- 
tion of at Tipton, 178 

Sibley tents, 78, 82; at Memphis, 94; exchanged for wedge tents, 105 

Simmons, George W., wounded at Shiloh, 42; died, 48 

Simmons, Wilson, death of, 45 

Sixteenth Army Corps, on Meridian expedition, 165, 167, 168, 170; at 
Vicksburg, 171; Red river expedition, 173; supply train of, 175; 
orders to, 200; on skirmish, 202; movement of, 203, hospital 
of, 205 

Sixteenth Iowa Infantry, in Iowa brigade, 30; at Iuka, 70; joke on, 92; 
with wagon train, 130; rifle pits of, 197; on skirmish, 201, 202; in 
battle, 208; on forage, 226 rear guard, 229; moved camp, 242; 
received pay, 284; arrived at Davenport, 289 

Sixth Division, at Holly Springs, 85; cotton stores, 86, 87; grist mill 
for, 86; at Memphis, 94; question of arming negroes, 108; re- 
view of, 110; in winter quarters, 153 

Slocum, General, command of left wing, 249; in grand review, 277 

Smith, Giles E., General, division of, 250; brigade inspection by, 266, 
267; review by, 269 

Smith, General Kerby, surrender of, 279 

Smithsonian Institution, visit to, 278, 279 

Solider vote, (see Election) 

Sparks, Jason, letter from, 100, 108; to enlist, 178; measles, 180; gold 
pen from, 218; with mess, 265 

Sparks, Mr., at home of, 6, 178, 180 

Sparrow's plantation, camp on, 99, 100, 105, 107 

Spencer, Sergeant William, on scouting expedition, 30; loan; 94; 
elected first lieutenant, 169; promoted to captain, 238; on fur- 
lough, 244; returns to camp, in ill health, 286 

Society Hill, S. C, 258 

Somerville, Alabama, village, army through, 191 



324 DOWNING'S CIVIL WAR DIARY 



South Carolina, army on raid through, 244, 248, 249; seek refuge in, 
256; feeling, note, 259 

Southern Confederacy, ship built for, 244; new capital for, 254; 274 

St. Louis, mobilization at, 19; soldiers to, 30; ordered to, 35; army 
leaves, 36 

Stanton, J. W., supper for veterans, 176 

Stearns, Captain, of Eighth Iowa, securing enlistments, 9 

Steele, General, division of, 112 

Stephenson, General, command of expedition, 136; orders of, 138; ex- 
pedition of, 139 

Stiles, Albert B., mustered out, 222 

Stone, Governor William, speech to Iowa Brigade, 120; candidate for 
governor, 147; at hospital Rome, 208; arrived in camp at Sa- 
vannah, 241 

Stout, Orlando, taken prisoner, 60; becomes a veteran, 160 

Strong, General William E., estimate of Iowa Brigade, 102 

Summerville, Ga., village of, 191; marched through, 223 

Supplies (see provisions) 

Sweet, Daniel, 30; on furlough, 133; return of, 154 

Sweet, George, killed, 210 

Sweet, Henry L., death of, 48 

Tallahatchie river, 85; bridge over, 87 

Tennessee river, transports up, 37, 185; crossed by pontoons, 191 

Tensas river, channel of, 108 

Thirteenth Iowa Infantry, new barracks, 13; new companies for, 14; 
sworn in, Marcellas M. Crocker, colonel of, 15; new uniforms 
for, 17; arrived at Jefferson City, 25; at Pittsburg Landing, 38, 
53; on expedition, 97; to Lake Providence, 99; Captain Elrod of, 
101; to Greenville, 102; with Eleventh, 116; on provost guard, 
142; picket service, 146, 147, 148, 149; at Messenger's Ford, 148: 
sworn in as veterans, 163; started on furlough, 173; on board 
transports, 184; moved to front, 199; in battle, 208; non-veter- 
ans mustered out, 223; moved camp, 242; Pocotaligo, 246, 247; 
flag on State house, 254; receiving pay, 284 

Thomas, General George H., command of, 195; charge of, 197; in bat- 
tle, 199 

Tipton, county seat, 3; news, 4; new company formed, 9; drilling at, 
10; troops leave, 11; visitors from, 14; celebration at, 178; boys 
of, 179 

Titus, Mark, on furlough, 135 

Toly, Tom, farm hand, 3, 4 

Tomlinson, Joseph, company cook, promoted to first lieutenant, 238; 
elected second lieutenant, 184 

Townsend, General, speech on arming negroes, 108 

Toyne, George, loan to, 134 

Tuttle, General, in command at Bolivar, Tenn., 60; brigade of, 127; 
expedition to Jackson, candidate for governor, 147; division left, 
157; division of, 165 

Twenty-third Army Corps, at Atlanta, 219; at Galesville, 223; on return. 
224; camp of, 264 

Twentieth Army Corps, at Atlanta, 219; destroy bridge, 228; on march 
through Georgia, 229; destroying railroads, 231; reviewed by 
Sherman, opinion of, 242; to start on raid, 244; floundering in 
mud, 248; driving enemy, 262; camp of, 264; on left wing, 267 

Uniforms, for Eleventh Iowa received, 15; cost, "dog-collars," 16; new, 
185, 265 



INDEX 325 



Valentine's Day, 32 

Vandever, General William, in command at Rome, Ga., 208 

Van Dorn, cavalry of, 92 

Van Wert, Ga., in bivouac, 225 

Veterans, order concerning, enlistments, 156; urging enlistments, 157; 
sworn in, 159; re-enlisting slow, 160; excitement in camp, bounty 
discontinued, 161; restless in camp, 162; regiments of, 163; on 
furlough, 173, 174; reception for, 176, 177, 178; gathering at Dav- 
enport, 181, 182; gathering at Cairo, 183; new equipments for, 
184; rumored discharged, 216; commissions to officers, 241; dis- 
satisfaction among, 284; 

Vicksburg, Sherman before, 91; start toward, 95; batteries at, 98; ran 
blockade at, 101; report from, 102; troops to, 103; cannonading 
at, 104; movement upon, 106, 110; troops toward, 107; sickness 
in siege of, 111, 112; run blockade to, 113; siege of, 115, 116, 119; 
fall threatened, 120; bombardment, 123; Forts blown up, 124; sur- 
render of, 126; rejoicing over fall of, 127; provisions from, 129; 
troops returning to, 131, 132; expedition back to, 139; returned 
to, 140; sickness in camp, 141, 142; provost duty, 144; fortifying, 
145, 149; guarding, 146; provisions at, moving camp, 150; 
winter quarters, fortifications, 151, 152; spies on fortifications, 
154; quiet at, use of coin, 158; woman banished from, 160; ice- 
floe, 162; damage to, 164; refugees, 170; return to, 171; opinion 
concerning, 173, 174 

Wallace, General, 47 

Warrenton, Ga., country around, 191 

Washington, D. C, army to start for, 271; starting for, 274; grand 

review at, 276, 277; description of, 278, 279 
Washita river, La., 136 

Wateree river, army crosses, 256; rough country, 257 
Waterford, battle at, 85, 86 
Waynesburg, Tenn., camp at, 188 
AVheeler, General Joe, cavalry, 170; report concerning, 210; raid of, 

215; cavalry of, 233 
Whiffy Swamp, S. C, marched through, 249 
White, John A., scouting, 29, 30; bed to sleep in, 111; elected fourth 

Sergeant, 164; with Downing outside of lines, 187; promoted 

Second Lieutenant 238; 
White river, expedition, 96 
White House, visit to, 278 

Whittlesey, John S., chaplain of Eleventh Iowa, 14; died, 54 
Willey, Mr., visit with, 4; family of, 179, 180 
Wilmington, North Carolina, boat from, 261 
Wilson, James F., at the front, 120 
Wilson's Creek, battle of, 3, 4 
Winnsboro, S. C., refugees at, 256 

Yazoo river, floods, 109; country around, 119; expedition up, 121; crops 
along, 134 

Zitler, John, wounded, note, 198; in hospital, 206, 207; furlough for, 
208; on furlough, 212 



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